


A Tale of the Trickster and the Spider: Part 3

by Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress, MissBoaBoa



Series: A Tale of the Trickster and the Spider [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: All of them! - Freeform, F/M, Fangirls, M/M, Making Peace with the Past, Miscommunication, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sakarian Loki is Sexy Loki, The Avengers Need a Hug, The Avengers are going on a Vacation!, TheAvengers Need a Vacation, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, a new friendship, a new ship! (we did NOT see this coming!), dinner in tuxedos, more than epic bromance, swimming in moonlight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-08-04 08:53:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 87,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16343723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress/pseuds/Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissBoaBoa/pseuds/MissBoaBoa
Summary: Back from Asgard, Loki and Peter realize they have to make up their mind about their feelings for each other, but figuring this out in a house full of Avengers, including a mighty brother-in-law and two super parents, is complicated, to say the least. In the meantime, Tony has a secret of his own that he wishes to reveal, although Steve has no clue yet what’s going on. This story will feature the climax of the series, riddled with secrets, bonding, wacky moments, bromance, and, most of all, some well-deserved romance. Prepare for fluff, feels, and just a pinch of Fury on this new adventure with the Avengers! Enjoy!





	1. Asking without asking

**Author's Note:**

> OMG ITS FANFIC FRIDAY!!!
> 
> Hi everyone and welcome back to another (and probably the final) part of A Tale of the Trickster and the Spider! 
> 
> It is filled with more love and fluff than your heart will be able to handle PLUS a ship that we never saw coming XD
> 
> ANYWAY! Thank you all for coming back here, it's so amazing that there are this many people out there who like this story so much!
> 
> Anyway, without further ado! Please enjoy.  
> Chapter one of part three: Asking without asking

**Chapter 1**

**Asking without asking**

 

‘So, you got any plans for today?’ Tony asked as he noticed the Captain staring out into the backyard, his arms akimbo and a serious expression clouding his face, but as he heard the playboy, he smiled somewhat and looked up.  

‘Not really. A bit of training, I suppose, as usual. You?’  

‘Seriously? Again? Why would you even do that?’ Tony sighed, but as the Captain’s look demanded a further explanation, he smirked and shrugged. ‘You’re practically Superman, Cap. Maybe you could actually do something _fun_ today, like binge-watching some Netflix with me? I could make you a damn good cup of coffee.’  

‘Uh, I don’t know, Tony,’ Steve said as he chuckled, ‘I think I’ve had enough caffeine for an entire year, plus, I really should be training...’  

‘I could join you?’ Tony suggested with a smirk, but he was disappointed as the Captain’s laugh told him this option was not being taken seriously.  

‘You’re always welcome to join me, Tony, but I believe you said you did not like working out?’ Steve eventually said with a smirk.  

‘Well, for _you_ I’ll make an exception,’ Tony countered, rolling his eyes without losing his smile.  

‘... Why?’ The blond asked sincerely, tilting his head a little.   

Tony stared at him in confusion and shrugged awkwardly. ‘I don’t know. Maybe it would be more fun... Anyway, Netflix is waiting, feel free to join in any time you like.’  

‘Yeah, thanks. I’ll make sure to join you some other time, promise.’ Steve said as he gave the playboy a kind smile. ‘I’ve gotta go. Bye, Tony.’  

‘Steve?’ Tony asked just before the blond walked out the door and the blue eyes turned around.  

‘Yes?’  

‘... Uh, have fun. See you later,’ Tony said uncomfortable, not really knowing where he was going with this.  

Steve stared at his friend for a second, an even brighter smile then formed on his face. ‘Thanks, Tony! I'll be home by noon.’   

‘You better!’ The playboy shouted after him, his eyes following the Captain until he was out of sight. He stared at the door for a second, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘”Have fun and see you later”? Seriously Tony? That’s the best you could think of?’ he sighed.  

‘I saw that,’ a voice sounded next to him, startling Tony.  

‘For f-!, Nat, there’s no need to play spy around here!’ Tony said as his hand covered his heart. ‘I’m not one for ninja sneak-attacks. Or ex-spy eavesdropping for that matter.’  

‘Oh, I don’t need to _spy_ to see what’s going on here,’ Natasha said with a teasing smirk as she grabbed herself a cup of coffee. ‘Tony, this is so clear, everyone sees it. Well, everyone except Steve, apparently.’  

‘What? What are you talking about?’ Tony said casually, deciding to sit down on the couch, then not sitting down so at least he could look her in the eye as they talked.  

‘Really, Tony?’ Natasha chuckled. ‘You know, if I didn’t know any better, I was thinking you were flirting a little there.’  

‘Sorry, Nat, I know I'm irresistible, but I think it’s best if we just stay friends.’ 

‘I wasn’t talking about me, Tony.’  

‘Who _were_ you talking about?’ At that, Natasha gestured with her head to the door through which the Captain had just vanished. ‘Oh, please,’ Tony replied with a scoffing chuckle. ‘I thought you knew me better than that.’  

‘Oh, I do,’ the Widow said, happily walking towards the playboy, enjoying this little interrogation to the fullest. ‘That’s why I'm so confused. I mean, you might call yourself a playboy, but I've never seen _anyone_ fail in flirting so epically.’   

‘Come on, Nat, we both know I could wind a girl around my finger in a matter of seconds. Just this look will do, check this out.’ At that moment, the playboy cast her a deep, smoldering look, a one-sided smile accompanying it.  

‘Impressive, but I’m not really feeling it,’ Nat shrugged. ‘Plus, Cap’s not really a girl now, is he? Maybe that’s why you failed?’  

‘I was _not_ flirting with Steve, Nat,’ Tony sighed, ‘Okay?!’  

‘Whatever you have to say to make yourself sleep at night, Stark,’ Natasha chuckled as she wanted to walk away. ‘Sleep alone, that is.’  

‘Wait,’ Tony said before he could tell himself to shut up. As two greyish green eyes stared at him with a questioning look, he sighed. ‘Alright, I might, slightly, like the old man, what about it? Are you just going to make fun of me or are you actually going to help?’  

‘Of course I’m gonna help you,’ Natasha said with a wide smile, ‘Can’t believe it took you this long to finally admit it.’   

‘Okay, maybe I would be happier with the insults. I don’t trust that smile _or_ your suspicions about my love life...’ Tony said with a grin, though a hint of panic shown through.  

‘Hey guys, sorry, I forgot my bag!’ Steve said as he barged into the room, grabbing his bag and wanting to leave, but he completely froze as he saw Natasha looking at him with a huge grin on her face, while Tony merely stared at him, a nervous smile on his face. ‘What… What’s going on?’ the blond asked with an uncomfortable smile.  

‘Well, go on, tell him, Tony,’ Natasha said as she looked at the playboy, who softly shook his head at her and remained silent. ‘Oh, come on, if you don’t, I will,’ the assassin stated, but she sighed and rolled her eyes as Tony’s expression remained the same.   

‘What, what’s wrong...?’ Steve asked, walking nearer to them, his expression now turning from slight discomfort to worry. ‘Something the matter with you, Tony?’  

‘No, nothing, don’t worry Steve,’ Natasha reassured, but as she took a step forward, Tony quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her close against himself as he whispered in her ear through clenched teeth, ‘Nat, you keep your mouth shut! Understand?!’  

‘You want me to help or what?’ Natasha whispered softly, though a ring of irritation was clearly audible in her voice.  

‘Yes, but-’  

‘Then man up, Stark!’ she whispered a little too loudly.  

‘Uhm, so, did you want to tell me something, Tony? ‘Cause otherwise,’ Steve stammered as he gestured at the door, the sneaky behavior of his two friends making him feel even more uncomfortable.   

‘Well, Tony has a reservation for two tonight at a cute restaurant not too far from here and, considering that you two pretty much run this place, he wanted to ask you to join him for dinner,’ Natasha offered with a smile in hopes to put the captain more at ease.  

Steve stared at the two for a second, slowly lowering his gym bag. His eyes then met those of his nervous friend. ‘Tony?’ was the only thing the Captain could say as a response, noticing how his friend stayed unusually quiet.  

‘Hm?’ Tony asked, his nerves not allowing him to say anything more articulate, but Natasha quickly broke his freezing curse by stabbing his foot with her stiletto heels. ‘Uhm, yeah, like Nat said, I mean, I could go with anyone else, really,’ he then took a deep breath, ‘But... I was wondering, on a scale of one to America, how free are you tonight?’ he finally managed to ask, clasping his hands while doing so.  

Steve looked at his friend in confusion and then started to laugh loudly. Just as Tony thought he was making a fool of himself, the Captain nodded, a wide smile on his face, ‘Yeah, I’m quite free tonight. When’s dinner?’  

‘Dinner’s at eight,’ Natasha stated calmly, while quickly making the reservation on her phone.  

‘Great, uhm, see you tonight, I guess,’ Steve smiled as he wanted to leave again, but before he walked through the door, he turned around. ‘Wait, will I need a suit? I mean, like an actual suit?’ he asked uncomfortably.  

‘Yeah, but don’t worry, that’s taken care of. It will be in your room somewhere around...’ at this, Natasha squinted her eyes somewhat to read something on her screen, ‘Oh, yeah, somewhere around six.’  

‘Great, thanks,’ Steve said and he then looked at his friend, ‘if that’s okay with you as well, Tony, you haven’t really said anything,’ he noted carefully.  

‘Yeah, of course,’ Tony said quickly, straightening his back as he did so. ‘Uh, we could leave here by car-’  

‘You can walk that distance,’ Nat interrupted him.  

‘...We could meet here at half past seven,’ Tony continued, checking this with Natasha before continuing, ‘and we’ll walk over to...’  

‘“Jean-Philippe”,’ Natasha added with a smile. ‘Fancy French place. You’ll love it.’  

‘Wait, isn’t that a really expensive place down by the main road?’ Steve asked with a frown, ‘Tony, I'll be just fine with take-away pizza, really.’   

‘Uhm,’ Tony started, but Natasha sternly shook her head, ‘No, we’re going for dinner tonight. There, I said it.’  

‘...If you say so,’ Steve said a little uncomfortably, but then quickly casted Tony a smile, ‘I’ll be sure to be back on time. See you guys.’  

‘You’ll be fine, Steve,’ Natasha assured him before he walked out of the door. At this, the Captain smiled and nodded, closing the door behind him again.    

After half a minute of complete silence, Tony buried his face in his hands and let himself fall on the couch. ‘Worst. Confession. Ever,’ he managed to speak.     

‘Hey, at least you got a date?’ Natasha said in an attempt to cheer him up. ‘Come on, we’ve got some shopping to do.’    

 ‘I thought you’d handled that?’ Tony asked in confusion.   

‘I just said that so Steve wouldn’t freak out. Now, get off that lazy ass of yours, we have to get your man a suit.’ 


	2. Where’s my super suit?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!  
> I don't really have much to say other than.... TA-DAH! here's chapter 2.  
> Hope you will enjoy it!

 

**Where’s my super suit?!**

 

‘You just had to threaten that guy, didn’t you?’ Tony asked as he followed Widow back into the Stark Tower. Their search for the perfect suit for the one and only Captain America had sent them through countless stores, making Tony realize how exhausting shopping for someone else can be. Well, to be honest, the fact that both he and Natasha had ridiculously high expectations didn’t really help either.    

‘Hey, he was looking at our suit! You know it is perfect for Steve and that guy was about to snatch it away before our eyes!’ Natasha snapped, sitting down moodily on a barstool in the kitchen.    

‘You’re the worst, Nat,’ Tony smirked as he shook his head, ‘I like that about you.’ He then looked at the suit in hand, which was carefully stored in a specially designed bag.  

‘I know,’ the Widow said with a smile and she followed his gaze. ‘You think he’ll like it?’    

‘Does it matter? He’s gonna wear it,' Tony said with a confident smirk, but as Natasha looked at him a little longer, he sighed. ‘I hope so. Probably.’    

‘Well, I’ll just be happy if it fits,’ Natasha chuckled, ‘Anyway, I think Steve will be home in a couple of minutes, so we’ll see soon enough.’    

‘I think my calculations on his measurements are pretty accurate,’ Tony said, holding the bag at some distance in front of him as he looked it up and down.    

‘And?’ Nat asked as she waited for him to continue.    

‘And your sneaking into his room and looking through his clothes should help as well.’   

‘I thought so,’ the Widow smirked. She then stood up to peek through the window as she heard the sounds of a motor coming up the driveway. ‘Well, looks like your Prince Charming has arrived.’     

‘What? Already?’ Tony said as he joined Natasha at the window. ‘Shit, he’s home early.’   

‘He always is, Tony, especially when he has an appointment,’ Natasha chuckled as she saw Tony’s eyes nervously following the captain’s movement as he locked his motorcycle and walked towards the front door.    

‘Yes, well, I’ll better put the suit in his room,’ Tony said and he made his way to the stairs, but Natasha snatched the bag from his hands as she jumped onto the staircase first and turned around with a smile. ‘ _You_ go say hello, _I_ will make sure his suit is in his room.’    

Tony sighed as a smile appeared on his face and he nodded, slowly pacing towards the front door as casually as he could bring himself to walk.    

‘Hey, Tony,’ Steve greeted his friend as he walked in through the front door, a smile on his face.    

‘Hey, Cap,’ Tony said, already cursing the smile on his own face that was way too big to be subtle.    

‘You seem in a good mood?’ Steve asked, finding the smile quite contagious. ‘Been up to something? Did you start that new project with Banner?’    

‘Uh, no, not today, just did some shopping with Nat.’ As Steve raised an eyebrow, Tony shrugged. ‘She wanted to buy a nice dress and I had nothing to do, so I figured I’d buy it for her.’    

‘That’s... really generous of you,’ Steve chuckled a little.    

‘Oh, well, that just me,’ Tony said with a gesture that resembled a bow. At that moment, Natasha casually walked down the stairs. ‘Hey, Nat! Why don’t you show Steve your new dress?’ Tony asked with a smile.    

‘New dress...?’ Natasha asked with a puzzled expression as she looked at the two men, ‘Why would I-’    

‘Oh, no, you did not leave it at the store, did you? You better go pick it up real soon,’ Tony said with a subtle wink.    

‘...Of course,’ Natasha agreed as she nodded at Tony. ‘I’ll just borrow one of your cars, if you don’t mind.’    

‘Sure, go ahead. Just don’t take the-’    

‘I’m taking the Royce. Thanks, Tony!’ the Widow smirked as she waved the two men goodbye, snatching the car keys from the playboy’s hands.    

‘Uh, well, I’m gonna go grab a shower,’ Steve said as he looked at the two with a slightly puzzled expression, never knowing they were this close. ‘Be right back, Tony,’ the Captain nodded as he walked on and disappeared up the stairs. It was only minutes later that the playboy heard him calling his name. ‘Tony?’    

‘Yes, Cap?’ he replied as casually as possible, though his heart was beating loudly in his chest.    

‘I think one of your suits somehow got in my room.’ A short silence followed. ‘Though it does not really seem to be your size...’     

‘That’s because it's not mine, Rogers. It’s your outfit for tonight!’ Tony shouted back. ‘What do you think? Will it do for _the_ Captain America?’ the playboy then looked up as he heard bare feet coming down the stairs, his eyes widening as he saw the captain standing on the stairs wearing nothing but his blue jeans.     

‘I can’t wear this, Tony,’ Steve said with a deep sigh, a beaten down expression on his face.    

‘What? Why not?’ Tony asked worriedly. He knew should have gone with the dark grey suit. Damn it.    

‘It’s just... You didn’t have to do this. I could have rented a suit or something. This is just... It looks really expensive,’ Steve said with an uncomfortable air, holding the suit carefully in his arm, ready to give it back. ‘I’m really sorry. I hope you still have the receipt. Maybe you could get a refund.’    

Tony stared at him, mouth ajar, before he found something to say. ‘Well, wear it for me then.’    

‘What?’ Steve managed to ask after blinking his eyes a couple of times.    

‘I really like that suit and it would be nice to see you all dressed up for a change. If you won’t accept it for your own sake, then wear it for mine,’ Tony said casually, hoping this excuse would work.    

A bit lost Steve looked at the bag in his hand after which he nodded before looking at his friend with a smile. ‘Thanks, Tony. I’ll be sure to pay you back some time.’    

‘Just be ready on time for dinner tonight, that will be enough,’ Tony said with a smirk as he walked over to the kitchen, not knowing why exactly, but it seemed like a nice way to end their conversation.    

After about thirty minutes of mindlessly pacing through the house, Tony heard his name being called again, but it was closer this time. As the playboy turned around, he saw Steve standing in front of him in a pearl grey suit. The color of it matching perfectly with the Captain’s blond hair and bright blue eyes. Tony kept staring at the blond, absentmindedly admiring the man’s perfect body.   

‘Could I maybe borrow some shoes from you?’ the Captain asked with an embarrassed chuckle as he looked down at his feet, on which he only wore a pair of light blue socks. ‘I’ve only got, well, practical shoes, so... I mean, I don’t think boots or sneakers will look good under this, right?’ he added with a smile though a blush of shame quickly followed.      

‘Guessed right,’ Tony eventually managed to say. ‘But I don’t think my shoes will fit you... Would you like to stop by a store and get you some?’    

‘What? Oh! No, no thanks, you’ve already done more than enough for me, really!’ Steve said as he hurriedly walked towards the hallway at the front door, ‘I’ve got some... some white sneakers, somewhere,’ he mumbled as he searched through a pile of shoes, ‘They should do just fine...’   

‘You are going to wear white sneakers under that suit?’ Tony asked with a chuckle.   

‘Yeah, I think it won’t look too bad. Or is this really not done?’ Steve asked with a smile, holding up his white shoes. ‘I’ll clean them a little, of course,’ he added as he noticed some blood stains and more than a little mud. ‘Anyway, shouldn’t you be getting ready?’ he asked before Tony could even give a reply, ‘I mean, if I go out looking like this and you go out looking like that... Well, I'd be hopelessly overdressed, wouldn’t I?’    

‘Of course, I was heading for my room when you and your blue socks stopped me,’ Tony smirked, causing Steve to stare at his underdressed feet again. ‘So, I’ll go and change if you don’t mind,' Tony said as he awkwardly passed Steve to the staircase.    

After another thirty minutes, Steve was greeted by his stylish friend, who wore a burgundy-colored suit with a black dress shirt underneath.     

‘I like your shoes,’ Steve said after a while, looking at the shiny black shoes on his friend’s feet.    

‘Thanks. Yours aren’t too bad either,’ Tony replied, but as the Captain looked at him a little longer than he was comfortable with, he chuckled, ‘They make you look younger, and athletic, ew, but you pull it off somehow.’    

Steve chuckled as he shook his head, ‘So, considering your Rolls Royce is confiscated by Nat, you want to walk to the restaurant?'    

‘She said it was close by,’ Tony shrugged, checking the location of the restaurant on his phone. ‘Yeah, I suppose we could walk. But I swear, if you start to run or even something that resembles walking faster than a casual strolling pace, I am having dinner by myself.’    

‘I’ll try to pretend I’m wearing really tight, fancy shoes, maybe that will help,’ Steve chuckled, staring from his sneakers to his friend’s shoes.    

At that moment Peter and Loki walked into the room, both of them coming to an abrupt stop as they saw the dressed-up men. ‘What's going on here?’ Peter asked surprised, ‘I've seen you suited up before, but never like this.’     

‘I think the Avengers would have a lot more class if we all were to dress like this for battle, would you not agree?’ Loki snorted as he looked at Peter.    

‘Uh,’ Tony started, taken by surprise by the entrance of the two, but he continued more casually, ‘We’re just going for dinner.’   

‘Have you eaten anything yet, Peter?’ Steve asked, slightly worried. ‘If you haven’t, you could join us? And you could come along as well, Loki. At least, as far as I’m concerned.’    

‘You would allow me... to join the three of you?’ Loki asked in slight disbelief while looking at the captain. The man’s kindness surprised him, but at the same time, it made him feel very happy for a reason he could not explain. Not really knowing how to answer Steve’s caring smile and confirming nod, Loki merely smiled back.  

Peter looked from Steve’s happy face to Tony, who nervously looked at Steve and then at the teen. Peter then smiled, ‘Nah, Lokes and I are gonna grab some shawarma, but thanks.’     

‘We are?’ Loki asked surprised.    

‘Of course! You just have to try it!’ Peter said with a smile and he hinted to the two men with his eyes in an attempt to explain two of his reasons for this plan.    

As Peter's subtle hints finally dawned, Loki smirked and nodded. ‘Of course, at least I will not have to wonder what shawarma is if we come home late from some party again,’ he replied in a chuckle. ‘After you, Peter.’    

‘Yeah, let’s go,’ Peter said enthusiastically. ‘See you later!’ he said to Steve and Tony before leaving the house.   

‘You’re just _too_ kind, Cap,’ Tony managed to say after letting out a sigh in relief. ‘Now let’s go.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Well, that’s it for this chapter. Now, as promised, I would like to present you with 3 facts about one of our Avengers.
> 
> Please welcome her, the one and only, Black Widow.
> 
> NATALIA ALIANOVNA "NATASHA" ROMANOFF
> 
> BLACK WIDOW IS IN LOVE WITH HAWKEYE  
> In the comics, Black Widow falls in love with Clint Barton aka Hawkeye. She recruits the criminal archer Hawkeye in her attempts to kill Stark. When Romanova attempt to defect from the Soviet Union her romantic feelings for Hawkeye is seen as a weakness and the KGB tries to kill her. He even proposed to her, but she declined.
> 
> In the movies, Clint Barton was assigned to kill Black Widow, but decided she'd be a better ally and defies the order. The two have a special relationship, but it's not romantic.
> 
>  
> 
> BLACK WIDOW IS ALMOST AS OLD THAN CAPTAIN AMERICA  
> In the comics, Black Widow is a super-spy and has a natural skill at tactics and martial arts. But there's more to Natasha than meets the eye. In the comics, she was born in 1928 and orphaned as a child.
> 
> A Soviet soldier named Ivan Petrovitch Bezukhov found Natasha in a burning building after a bombing run. She's taken in by a covert U.S.S.R. "Black Widow Ops" program and trained as an elite female sleeper agent.
> 
> She's biotechnologically and psycho-technologically enhanced. Black Widow has a super healing ability that slows down her aging. That makes her a little older than Captain America.
> 
> The movies keep her Russian "Red Room" training but they haven't said is Black Widow has any powers.
> 
> HE WAS TRAINED BY THE WINTER SOLDIER  
> Pairing Natalia Alianovna Romanova and James Buchanan Barnes actually makes a lot of sense. They have both survived in a moral grey area for much of their lives, changing allegiances, as well as personas. Bucky and Nat were used as instruments of destruction and both struggled to find a way back to themselves. It’s completely understandable that they would form a bond when Black Widow was trained by the Winter Soldier during her time in the Red Room.  
> Natasha was already a gifted student, but Bucky really helped her to come into her own. The pair have since had an on-again-off-again romance.  
> It’s unclear if this storyline will find its way into the MCU, but it has been hinted that the two know each other.
> 
> And, just for the fun of it, this fourth fact. I just couldn’t help myself, I had to share this one with the world!
> 
> SHE ATE SPIDER-MAN  
> This comes from a single panel of What if…Spider-Man had Married the Black Widow?  
> The joke is, of course, referring to the black widow spider’s penchant for eating her mate. Interestingly, this is actually a bit of a myth. There are many different species of black widow and while some do, indeed, take the life of the male after mating is complete, there are plenty males who live on to mate another day.  
> It’s probably safe to assume that a relationship between Black Widow and Spider-Man wouldn’t work out too well anyway. Natasha needs someone who can hold his own against her - and not just in a fight. Peter is a sweetheart and Natasha, who is known for being a world class manipulator, might just eat him alive.
> 
>  
> 
> Okay, hope you enjoyed today’s chapter and facts! See you again in two days!


	3. Table for Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!
> 
> Yes, this is another Stony (IronShield?) chapter BUT DON'T worry!   
> It's all FrostSpider after chapter 4. They will have a bumpy road ahead of them, but this will be it!  
> The part with all the confessions! All the emotions! All the smut! And all the Avengers together in a brand new "mission" which is just too hilarious!  
> So please hang in there just a little longer for all the FrostSpider to happen :D

**Chapter 3**

**Table for Two**

 

‘So...’ Steve said as he stared at the French menu, a slightly puzzled expression on his face as he tried to figure out what all the fancy sounding dishes could possibly be.    

‘What will you be having, Cap? Seen anything you like?’ Tony said cheerily, in the meantime arranging some wine for their table.    

‘Uh, yes, of course,’ Steve said as determinedly as he could. ‘I will be having the, uhm... es-car-got,’ he nodded, though he had no idea what he just ordered.  

‘Really?’ Tony asked as he stared at the blond across from him, who confidently closed his menu. ‘I have to say, didn’t take you for a snail guy, Rogers.’     

‘Snails?’ Steve repeated with wide eyes, then slowly reaching for his menu again. ‘Yeah, you know what, I just changed my mind...’   

Tony chuckled, ‘Thought so.’ As Steve kept staring at the menu in absolute confusion, Tony sighed with a smile. ‘Try the Boeuf Bourguignon, I bet you’ll like it. It’s basically a beef stew, you know, lots of veggies, perfect for you.’    

‘Boof Burginian?’ Steve asked surprised, but he nodded. ‘It does sounds a lot better than snails, to be honest.’ He then closed his menu and stared at the many different types of forks, spoons and knives carefully placed around his plates, of which, for some reason, he had three, all in different sizes.    

‘You like the restaurant?’ Tony asked, more than happy to have so much time to talk with the Captain.    

‘Hm?’ Steve replied as he looked up, still trying to figure out why on Earth he would need this much cutlery. ‘Yeah, it’s great, and really fancy,’ he said as he looked around a little. He noticed the grand chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, the classy paintings hanging on the walls and the live music that gently played somewhere on the background.  

‘Only the best for you, Cap,’ Tony raised his glass of wine, Steve joining him in the gesture. ‘To Captain America and his merry bunch we like to call the Avengers.’    

‘To the Avengers,’ Steve agreed, ‘And to Iron man, who will help you navigate through the menu of a French restaurant,’ he added with a chuckle.    

‘Cheers,’ Tony said with a smile, but as their glasses clinked against one another, they noticed that two girls, as if popped out of nowhere, were standing by their table.    

‘I told you, Stony is a thing and Stucky is just a sad fantasy,’ the blonde girl said with a smirk to her friend.    

'We’ll see about that,’ the brown-haired girl replied grumpily and with a sudden smile she turned to the two men. ‘So sorry to interrupt your moment, but could we ask you something?’    

‘Uh,’ Steve slowly put his glass down, staring at Tony with questioning eyes. ‘Sure, no problem,’ he continued with a slightly confused but kind smile.    

‘Okay, first of all,’ the brunette continued enthusiastically, ‘It’s so awesome to meet Iron Man and Captain America. We’re really your number one fans!’    

‘Always nice to meet a fan,’ Tony said as he managed to smile, ‘So I guess you want an autograph, right?’ he added as he searched for his pen in the pocket of his jacket, hoping the two girls would leave right after.    

‘Oh, we actually just want a selfie.’ the brunette said, already pulling her phone from her pocket. ‘That’s cool with you guys, right?’  

‘Sure,’ Tony said through clenched teeth, putting on his paparazzi face.  

‘A what...?’ Steve asked as he looked a little helpless at his friend.    

‘Say “Avengers!”’ the girl cheered, making sure the four of them were in the picture. The two girls then squealed and jumped up and down a little as they looked at the result.   

‘Okay, now for the real question,’ the blonde continued as she looked the Captain deep in his blue eyes, making the man lean back in discomfort. ‘Stony is a thing, right?’   

‘Stony...?’ Steve asked in confusion.    

‘Yeah, that’s your ship name, you know, for the two of you?’ the girl asked, a little surprised the Captain did not know this.    

‘I, I don’t know, I’m afraid,’ Steve managed to reply as he was still working on why someone would name a ship after the two of them, and such a weird name to that.  

‘Ladies, it is a bit early to talk about such a thing,’ Tony answered, more truthfully than he was hoping for.    

‘Well, that just proves it,’ the brunette suddenly spoke with a smirk as she crossed her arms. ‘Stony is _so_ not gonna happen,’ she then turned her attention to the Captain as well. ‘It’s all Stucky, right?’ she asked him with a kind, yet demanding smile.    

‘Excuse me?’ the blonde girl said before Steve could even reply. ‘I don’t see the Winter Soldier dining here, do you?’    

‘Well, no, but I bet Bucky would take Steve on a much more interesting date then some stuffy old restaurant, something more playful and special like a fair or something,’ the brunette countered. ‘Ah, I can already imagine it. Winning prizes for each other, sharing some cotton candy, getting into the Ferris wheel at the end of the day and stopping at the top for a romantic ki-’  

‘Uh, no way, honey! Tony has class, Bucky would probably just be like, I don’t know, maybe he would take him for a hike or something lame like that. Face it: he has zero style.’ She than smirked as she thought of something, ‘His hair and clothes are enough to confirm that.’   

‘Excuse me, ladies,’ Steve managed to get in between the two squabbling girls, his expression now grimmer as he was not at all amused by the way the blond was talking about his friend. ‘What exactly are you two talking about? I don’t see what a boat or ship has to do with any of this, really.’     

‘Omg, he really has no idea! That's just so freaking cute!’ the blond squealed not so subtly to her friend. ‘We are talking about whether you would date Tony or Bucky, of course,’ the blonde girl continued with a smile, ‘Though it's pretty obvious to me that Stony wins over Stucky any day.’    

‘Oh, Tony would wish, may I remind you that our dearest Captain here almost tore apart the entire Avenger group and left Tony for dead in order to save his beloved Bucky? Tony ain’t got shit on that!’ the brunette added with a snap of her fingers as she then looked at the playboy, ‘No offense,’ she said with a smile.    

Tony stared at the two girls in absolute astonishment, he then turned to the captain, who quickly averted his gaze as their eyes met. His expression clouded in shame and guilt as he stared at his plate, this last remark hitting Steve harder than Tony had expected.    

‘Well, that’s just because he thought Bucky was dead before, duh! But clearly he’s made up with Tony now and after all this drama they will become the most powerful duo in freaking history. Isn’t that right, Mr. Stark?’ the blonde asked, suddenly turning to a highly unamused Tony.    

‘Girls, I think you are overstaying your welcome,’ the playboy tried to hint as subtly as possibly. ‘Could you please give us some time alone?’   

‘Yeah, sure,’ the blonde smiled, ‘Oh! One last thing though,’ she said and she turned to Steve again, ‘Is CapsLok a thing? Like, a little guilty pleasure?’ but as she watched the captain stare back at her in complete confusion, she explained, ‘You know, CAPtain America and LOKi, CapsLok?’ she then gasped loudly in realization and turned to Tony, 'Or is FrostIron more a thing?’ she asked excitedly.    

‘Frost... Iron...?’ Tony repeated, not knowing if he was more annoyed or confused at the moment.     

‘Yeah, you and the god of mischief,’ the brunette explained, seeming to forget Stucky for a second. ‘I mean, I would be all for that,’ after which the girl heard a subtle snort coming from the Captain, who desperately tried to hide his smile behind his hand.   

‘Shut up, Steve,’ Tony snapped before turning to the girls again. ‘Who on Earth gave you that idea?!’    

‘Uh, the Internet, duh, you know, Tumblr, Pinterest, there are even people writing fan fictions about you guys,’ the blonde said, ‘Wait, I’ll show you.’    

‘It must be really romantic though,’ the brunette continued, ‘The merciful Tony Stark, taking in the emotionally damaged and scarred god of mischief. Their relationship blossoming like a cherry blossom tree, delicately and pure,’ she sighed dreamily.    

‘I know right!’ the blonde girl squealed and she held her phone in front of Tony, showing him some art of him and Loki. The picture showed the two men, lying in each other's arms on a large bed. It was night, the raven god resting his head on the playboy’s chest as he pressed a gentle kiss on Tony’s flushed skin. They were covered in nothing more than a thin layer of sweat and a soft satin bedsheet that started at the brim of their hips but as it was all fumbled up, it also showed off most of their bare legs. Tony had one arm wrapped around the god’s body as he hid his eyes in the crook of his other arm, showing only the flushed skin on his cheeks and a loving smile underneath as they lay huddled together.    

Tony looked at the screen and his eyes grew big as the art was so hyper realistic, it could have been an actual picture, he then looked up at the girls. ‘Okay, that’s it. Get out.’    

‘But we’re not done eating,’ the brunette argued taken aback.    

‘You are now. Out. Waiter!’ Tony shouted and a waiter hurried over. ‘These girls are really bothering us. Could you please do something about it?’   

‘Forget it, Stark, we’re leaving alright,’ the brunette said poisonously. ‘Told you, he’s no good. Bucky would be way better,’ she whispered to her friend.    

‘Oh, shut up!’ the blonde snapped as she turned to Steve, ‘You should really make up your mind, Stevie.’ She spoke to the man as if they were the closest friends, but as Tony seemed about to explode, the girls quickly headed for the door.    

‘…Was the fan art really that bad?’ Steve asked with a chuckle, but the playboy raised his hand to stop him from speaking as his other hand supported the weight of his head.    

‘Don’t ask, please,’ he sighed, shaking his head. ‘This date is already a disaster and we haven’t even ordered our starters yet,’ he murmured.    

‘Date?’ Steve asked surprised, causing Tony to shoot upright and watch him with wide eyes.    

‘Did I say that?’    

‘I think you did,’ Steve smiled, though his eyes seemed a little restless. ‘Is that wat this is? A date?’    

‘I don’t know, I mean, I wouldn’t mind,’ Tony started hesitantly, but as he saw the sky-blue eyes resting on him, he sighed. ‘I just wanted to spend some time with you, _alone_ ,’ he explained as he looked to the door through which the annoying girls had disappeared. ‘I would like to get to know you better and, well, considering everything we talked about, you know, about how we see our future and that we actually don’t really have a clue about what we want out of life, I figured it was worth the shot.’ As the Captain still did not respond, Tony sighed deeply and asked, ‘So... How about it? Should we see this as a date?’     

‘I, uhm,’ Steve stammered as the directness of the question clearly took him off-guard.    

‘Look, Steve, I’m sorry to catch you by surprise like this, but you asked,’ Tony said with a nervous chuckle. ‘Just give me a hint of what is going through your head right now.’    

At this, Steve smiled and shook his head. ‘To be honest, my mind is racing and at the same time I just don’t know what to say, Tony… However,’ the Captain said as Tony’s gentle though slightly nervous eyes finally seemed to calm him down a little, ‘I don’t think there’s any harm in trying, right? A date, I mean...’ He then smiled more brightly, his shoulders lowering in relaxation, ‘Okay, let’s do it. Let's, uhm, date.’     

‘Seriously?’ Tony asked, surprise ringing in his voice, after which he smiled brightly. ‘Okay, yeah, let’s date.’     

‘So... What should we talk about?’ Steve asked with a sigh of relief.    

‘Each other, I suppose? Anything will do, really, but talking about each other is pretty standard procedure as far as I know.’ But as Tony said this, he heard a muffled sound coming from the Captain, something that sounded like a song, though he could not quite hear what it was exactly.    

Steve looked up in surprise and hurriedly pulled out an old-fashioned cell phone from his pocket. He flipped it open and saw by the caller-ID that it was S.H.I.E.L.D. He looked at Tony, who stared back at him with a questioning gaze.    

‘You’re not seriously going to leave me hanging on our first date, right?’ the playboy asked with as much sass as he could, but a hint of genuine worry shone through.    

‘I,’ Steve started, but he smiled as Tony's expression kept getting more fearful. The blue-eyed man picked up his phone. ‘Director Fury, sir,’ he greeted, and saw how his date crossed his arms and stared at the floor with an annoyed sigh.    

‘Captain Rogers,’ the voice on the other end sounded. ‘Listen, I will need you to pick up those files on-’    

‘Sir, I am sorry but,’ Steve interrupted the man and he looked at Tony with a smile, ‘I’m on a date right now. I’ll make sure to pick up the files tomorrow morning. Will that be all?’    

A short silence followed, ‘... You are on a date?’ Fury eventually asked in disbelief.     

‘Yes sir, now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to go,’ Steve said after which he quickly wrapped up the phone call and hung up. Then he turned off his phone and put it back in his pocket. ‘Sorry ‘bout that, Tony.’    

‘That alright,’ Tony said, blinking his eyes in disbelief. ‘Did you just hang up on Fury because of a date?’    

‘Well, not just any date. I mean, it’s not every day that I get to eat with _the_ Iron Man, not alone at least. Now, I don’t know much about dating, but I do know that you don’t bail on a date before the main course,’ Steve said with a teasing smirk, which took Tony even more by surprise.    

‘Okay, Mr. Workaholic, I think we’re getting somewhere,’ the playboy chuckled and he raised his glass again, carefully scanning their surroundings first. Then he cleared his throat. ‘To Steve Rogers, just a guy from Brooklyn.’   

‘And to Tony Stark, just a guy from Manhattan,’ Steve added as their glasses and eyes met, the clear ringing sound filling the air between them as they took a sip from their wine.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, and that's it for another chapter!  
> How about those fangirls, huh? Okay, I have to be honest, if I ever met my superheroes like that, I would probably go into full squealing fangirl-mode as well XD  
> But not as bad as this... I hope XD
> 
> Anyway, for today's facts, we would like to talk about our favorite man of ants! Here are 3 facts you hopefully didn't know about Scott Lang :D
> 
> He used to be part of the Fantastic Four  
> Scott Lang is one of the first people to join the Fantastic Four, excluding the founding four of course. He has a long history with the team, and at one point he even led the team.
> 
> He joined the Guardians of the Galaxy  
> Recently, after stowing away on their ship, Scott joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. Do you think this could happen in the MCU? Who knows!
> 
> ANT-MAN CREATED ULTRON  
> Anyone who’s read a Marvel comic knows about Ant-Man’s connection to Ultron, but thanks to last year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and Marvel’s shaking up the origin of the infamous supervillain, many who follow the MCU will have no idea that Ultron was actually created by Ant-Man in the comics, and not Tony Stark. While Ultron has always been one of the Avengers’ greatest adversaries, it was part of Ant-Man’s flawed genius that caused him to create a highly intelligent robot that eventually turned on him and everyone else. Plagued by guilt over creating such a destructive creature, he spiraled into a depression that led to the abuse of his wife and other despicable traits that nearly destroyed him.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you liked the facts and hope to see you again in two days!


	4. When Skies are Grey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You Are My Sunshine  
> My only sunshine.   
> You make me happy   
> When skies are grey.

‘You didn’t!’ Tony laughed loudly, at which Steve chuckled and nodded. ‘You mean you were wearing that horrible Captain America onesie on stage in front of our troops?’  

‘Yep, had my own theme song as well. Those were the days,’ Steve laughed. ‘I haven’t been to Europe since the war, though, well, besides those, what, fifteen minutes in Germany to stop Loki. I wouldn’t mind going back some time, just to see a bit more of the world, you know?’  

‘Yeah, Europe’s great. Hey, you know what we should do?’ Tony said as he took the last bite of his main course. ‘We should go on vacation, just the two of us. We could go to Paris, or Italy or something. You enjoy art, right? We could go to an art museum. Oh! We could bring Peter as well!’ He added with a smile, ‘Should be fun, right? Plus, some European culture would do him good as long as we stay away from the Amsterdam coffee shops… Though those could be fun as well.’ Tony’s eyes then met those of the captain again, who stared at him with a raised brow, ‘But not for a family vacation of course,’ he quickly added with a chuckle.  

‘Would Peter like museums and all that, though?’ Steve asked with a smile, seriously doubting it.    

‘Of course! As long as they’re interesting, that is. He’s a smart kid. He must know there’s more to life than video games, Netflix and saving the world, right?’    

‘Yes, that’s what average teenagers think about constantly,’ Steve chuckled. ‘He should be fine then.’    

After a long dinner, during which they got to know a lot more about each other and their lives before the Avengers, Tony asked for the bill.    

‘Well, that was a pretty successful date, don’t you think?’ Tony asked as he handed his credit card to the waiter.    

‘Sure was,’ Steve confirmed, though his eyes followed the waiter towards the register, ‘Tony,’ he started but his friend was quick to interrupt him.    

‘Nope, I'm paying, now let’s go,’ he smiled as he stood up, picked up his credit card and opened the door for the Captain. ‘After you, sneakers,’ he said, gesturing Steve to go first, but he looked up as a curtain of heavy rain appeared in front of them. ‘Typical,’ Tony sighed.    

‘It’s just a little rain, Tony, I think we’ve been through worse,’ Steve smiled, casually stepping outside.    

‘A little? It’s raining A LITTLE?!’ Tony asked, already soaked within one minute as they walked back to Stark Tower. ‘I should have brought a car, or called a cab, or, I don’t know, ask Barton to come pick us up with the Queen Jet,’ he grumbled as he wanted to take his phone out of his pocket, an even more irritated sigh coming from him as he noticed his phone had died in his soaked clothes.     

‘Come on, Tony, it’s not that bad,’ Steve said with a smile, enjoying the refreshing rain that trickled down his skin.    

‘I’d give anything for a car right now,’ Tony chuckled, staring into the distance, ‘Even one like that.’ He pointed at a blue, old-fashioned car, parked down the road.    

‘Hey, I recognize that car!’ Steve shouted happily as he fastened his pace and looked at the car up close. ‘It’s a 1938 Ford Coupe! Really popular before the war,’ he said as he peeked through the window.     

‘Never took you for a car fanatic?’ Tony asked surprised as he looked inside as well.    

‘Well, I'm not, not really anyway, but Bucky and I used to look at these when we were young, making bets who would buy it first,’ Steve smiled. ‘I think he actually bought one, but then he went to war, so I doubt he ever really got to enjoy it…’    

Tony stared at the blond for a while, a smile on his face as he watched Steve admiring the vehicle. He then swallowed a bit nervously as a question came to mind, ‘Steve, what exactly is your relationship with Barnes?’ he tried to ask as casual as possible.    

‘Well, we’re friends,’ Steve smiled, not really noticing the questioning look from his date.   

‘Just friends?’ Tony asked to confirm.   

‘Okay, not _just_ friends,’ Steve admitted, causing Tony to look up in alarm. The blond looked up this time and smiled. ‘We haven’t been on a date, if that’s what you’re asking. I love Bucky more than anything, he is like a brother to me, I guess. We’ve known each other ever since we were kids.’ His smile then faded somewhat. ‘He is the only person I have left from my life before the whole Captain America thing.’ A gentle smile then returning again as some memories stirred inside his head, ‘You should have seen him back then, Tony, he was an officer. There was this one time we were at a Stark convention and even though he had a day off _and_ he was on a date with this girl, he still patrolled the building like he was on duty,’ he laughed. ‘Yeah... always getting me out of trouble, too…’    

‘Yeah, that sounds nothing like the Bucky I know,’ Tony said, now hardly noticing the rain around them. ‘Has he really changed that much?’    

‘Yeah...’ Steve nodded a little as his smile disappeared completely. ‘He has changed... or rather, Hydra has changed him...’     

Tony nodded as he thought back to the soldier. Barnes never really spoke all that much, but when he did, he always had a smart mouth. No wonder he and Loki make such good friends. From officer to soldier to Hydra experiment to assassin, and now, to Avenger. Tony sighed as he had to admit, all in all, James Buchanan Barnes was not such a bad person. ‘…Must be really tough.’  

‘Well, I'm just really happy to have my friend back and I hope Bucky will get over all the things he’s been through really soon... I mean, his time in Wakanda really helped him, a lot. T’Challa did more for him than I ever could have done, so...’ Steve smiled as he tried to brighten the mood, the rain still pouring in his face. He looked up, his eyes drawn towards a small ice-cream truck in the distance. Though he found it strange to see such a sunny and bright van standing in the rain, an idea struck him. ‘How about we go for desserts, huh?’    

‘Dessert?’ Tony asked, swiftly concluding that the Captain must have lost his mind.    

‘Yeah, come on, I’ll buy you some ice-cream,’ Steve said as he pointed to the truck. ‘Come on!’ he said a little louder, already slightly running towards the van.   

‘I SAID I WOULD NOT-’ Tony started, but Steve’s smile made him shut his mouth.    

‘I know Tony, but you’ll be there a lot faster if you put some effort into it. Come on, doesn’t all this rain make you feel like running?’    

‘A little, yeah,’ Tony smirked and he ran after the Captain, catching up with him faster than Steve had expected.     

‘I thought you didn’t run?’     

‘I don’t like it all that much, doesn’t mean I can’t or won’t,’ Tony said with a smirk. ‘On your left!’ he shouted as he passed the Captain, who stared at him for a moment and then chased him with a bright smile.    

Slightly panting, the two reached the van. The two employees, a young man and a young woman, stared at the soaked men in confusion.    

‘Can we help you, gentlemen?’ the girl asked in surprise.    

‘Two ice-creams, please,’ Steve said with a bright smile.    

‘Really?’ she asked, staring at the curtain of rain behind the two men, who were now sheltered from the water by the screen of the truck.    

‘Yes, really,’ Steve nodded, his smile then suddenly fading. ‘Unless you’re closed, of course.’    

‘No, uhm, I mean, we were packing up, but,’ the man in the van chuckled. ‘What flavor?’   

‘Strawberry and coconut,’ Steve stated determinedly as he then looked at his date. ‘What do you want, Tony?’    

‘Mokka and chocolate would be great,’ the playboy said after looking at the small variety of flavours.     

‘There you go,’ the girl said as she handed them their ice-cream. ‘Better hurry up and get home though,’ she added as she heard some rumbling in the far distance, ‘Sounds like there will be some lightning coming down.’     

‘We’ll just ask Thor to postpone the storm today,’ Tony laughed, earning a chuckle from the lady.    

‘That would be something. Can you ask him to stop the rain as well?’ she asked. ‘We did not get too many customers this evening with this weather.’    

‘Well, that might be Loki’s doing, raining down on your parade, quite literally,’ Steve smiled.   

‘I could not have guessed you gentlemen were into the whole super hero thing,’ the man laughed. ‘Always glad to meet fellow Avenger-fans.’     

‘I must say, you two look an awful lot like...’ the girl started with a smile, but then her eyes grew wide. ’You, you’re...'    

Tony smiled as the young girl’s jaw dropped and he placed a finger on his lips. ‘Please don’t shout.’     

‘Of course,’ the girl whispered, her hands shaking a little. ‘Wow, this is so cool.’    

‘Who will believe us when we say Captain America and Iron Man have bought ice-cream from us?’ her co-worker said in a half-whisper. ‘You guys are the best!’   

‘Could we, maybe...?’ the girl hesitated as she grabbed her phone, wanting to ask for a picture.    

‘A selfie!’ Steve shouted happily and he looked at Tony, ‘I, I know that word now,’ he said with a proud smile, causing the playboy to snort.     

‘Awesome!’ the girl shouted and she handed the Captain her phone, she and her co-worker quickly climbing out of the truck.    

As everyone stood in place, Steve raised the phone into the air a little to see if everyone was visible on the screen. ‘Are you ready? Three, two, one, selfie!’     

After handing back the phone and paying for their ice-cream, the two Avengers continued their way back to Stark Tower. The crushing rain had become but a misty drizzle, allowing the puddles on the streets to shine brightly in the lantern light.    

‘I really enjoyed our date, Tony,’ Steve said as the two walked towards the front door. ‘Thank you, for inviting me,’ he added as he turned around to look at his friend, playfully walking backwards a little.     

‘You’re welcome,’ Tony said surprised and he chuckled. ‘And thanks for not running away when I said the word “date".’    

‘Well, you did surprise me, but,’ the blond said as he looked at his soaked sneakers for a moment, searching for the right words. ‘It felt... alright,’ he said with a determined smile. ‘Anyway, let’s go inside before one of us catches a cold,’ he chuckled and he laid his hand softly on his friend’s shoulder, giving him a gentle push towards the door.    

It was quiet in the Stark Tower. Somewhere people were watching tv, but most of the Avengers seemed to have gone to bed already.   

‘I could get used to the silence,’ Tony said as he let out a tranquil sigh.    

‘Yeah, it’s nice for a change,’ Steve agreed as he took off his soaked jacket and carefully placed it on a chair. ‘Though I have to say that I really enjoy having everyone together again. It really feels like being surrounded by family... o-or friends, at least. It just feels like home.’    

‘Did S.H.I.E.L.D. try to contact you again or is Fury confused to the point that he will leave you alone for now?’ Tony asked as he got his own phone from his pocket, a little water trickling out of it. ‘That’s just sad. I bet I could have improved this design,’ he mumbled, looking at the soaked technology in his hand.    

‘Don’t know,’ Steve shrugged as he grabbed his phone, flipped it open and turned it on again. His eyes then widened as he looked at his screen, ‘Tony...’ he said as he then looked at his friend.    

‘What? He called you anyway?’ Tony asked surprised, but as he saw the Captain’s concerned face, his eyes grew serious. ‘What is it?’    

‘No, I, I'm really, _really_ sorry, but I have to go,’ he said as he put his phone back in his pocket and quickly walked towards the stairs. ‘I’m really sorry! We'll talk tomorrow, okay?!’ he shouted without looking back as he jumped up the stairs, skipping a few steps as he did so.    

‘O-okay, Cap. Bye,’ Tony said, blinking as he watched the Captain practically fly upstairs.    

‘Didn’t go well?’ Natasha asked as she suddenly stood behind Tony without making a sound.    

‘NAT!’ Tony shouted, laying a hand over his heart. ‘I told you not to startle me like that!’ He then cleared his throat and looked at the woman. ‘It went pretty good. We had a great time, actually…’    

‘Hmm...’ Natasha replied as she looked at the stairs and the trail of water the Captain left behind, ‘Maybe he’s going for a quick shower, and maybe you should too.’   

‘I don’t know, he looked really upset,’ Tony said, looking at the stairs with a worried expression. ‘It had something to do with his phone.’   

‘Well, if you’re worried, you should go after him.’ Natasha stated simply, not understanding why the playboy was still at her side.    

‘Yeah, I guess,’ Tony nodded. ‘Thanks, Nat. I’ll see you later.’ He then walked upstairs, increasing his pace with every step he took. As he reached the hallway, he saw Steve in front of Bucky’s door, hugging the Winter Soldier tightly as Bucky rested his head on blond’s shoulder, his arms hanging loosely next to his quivering body. The playboy squinted his eyes as he looked closer; were those… tears? Tony quickly turned back around a corner to think this through. ‘Okay, this is okay. They're just friends, he told me so, so I believe him,’ he reassured himself, looking around the corner and inhaling deeply before walking into the hallway again. ‘Hey, you guys okay?’ he asked as casually as he could.    

Bucky almost jumped as he heard the man’s voice. He stared at Tony for a second, a haze covering his dark brown eyes, a cold sweat covering his skin as he softly panted. He then pushed the blond away and disappeared into his room, slamming the door, leaving Steve and Tony by themselves.    

‘Yeah, we’re okay...’ Steve sighed, now turning to Tony. ‘Thanks,’ he added with a smile.    

‘If you say so...’ Tony said as he stared at the door, but he quickly cleared his throat as he noticed the blue eyes still staring at him. ‘So, uhm, I'm gonna grab a shower and uh, go to bed, soooo... See you in the morning.’ He walked towards his room, though he couldn’t help himself from trying to listen for any further sounds coming from the captain and the soldier.     

After letting out a sigh, Steve knocked on his friend’s door again, ‘Buck, can I come in?’ he asked and waited for a response, but as he got none, he slowly opened the door and walked in. It was hard to spot the man, for a simple nightstand lamp was the only source of light in the further dark room, but the captain found the soldier sitting on the corner of his bed, his back pressed against the wall, dark circles under his eyes.   

‘You look terrible,’ Bucky remarked with a hoarse voice, he looked at the soaked suit the blond was still wearing. ‘Like a soaked, over-dressed cat.’   

Steve chuckled softly, ‘I looked pretty swell before the rain, thank you.’ His expression then turned more serious. ‘You don’t look too good yourself. Is there anything I can do?’   

‘Don’t think so,’ the soldier shrugged. 'I just promised you I would call you whenever, well... I had nightmares... So I did.’ He looked at the captain whose worried blue eyes stared back at him, hoping for more information. ‘.... Hydra...’ was the only thing the soldier had to add to that as he averted his eyes from his closest friend and stared at his mechanic arm.    

‘I see,’ Steve nodded. ‘I could stay, if you want? I’ll just put on some clean, less-soaked clothes and I could just, you know, be here.’    

‘That would be nice,’ Bucky eventually nodded and he smiled at the blond, ‘Thanks, punk.’    

‘No problem, Buck,’ Steve said with a smile and he walked to the door. ‘I’ll just change my clothes and then I’ll be back, alright?’    

‘Yeah, yeah, just go, I'll be fine,’ Bucky said as he chuckled a little, ‘Your sneakers are leaving a trail all over my floor you slug, so go.’    

The Captain merely chuckled. ‘Alright, be right back.’ He opened the door and went over to his own room, changing into his more comfortable sweatpants and an old T-shirt. As he walked back to Bucky’s room on his bare feet, he almost bumped into Tony, who was heading back to his own room in his bathrobe.     

‘Wow, watch it, Cap,’ Tony said with a smile as Steve nearly crushed into him.    

‘Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,’ Steve said, his face turning a little red. He then looked at Tony’s luxurious bathrobe, the silky fabric glistening slightly in the dimmed lights of the hallway and he compared it to his own worn-out sweatpants and simple white shirt.    

‘That’s alright. Hey,’ Tony then said, looking the Captain in the eye, ‘Is Barnes okay?’   

‘Yeah, yeah, he’s okay,’ the blond nodded, surprised about Tony’s sudden interest in the Winter Soldier. ‘I’ll just hang around there for a while, talk a little, you know.’    

‘Good, yeah, I’ll, uh,’ Tony said, suddenly feeling self-aware as he closed his bathrobe a little further. ‘I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow, Cap. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, okay?’    

‘I will. Good night, Tony,’ Steve smiled kindly as he placed a hand on the man’s shoulder while passing him. ‘See you tomorrow.’    

‘Yeah, you too,’ Tony said, though his feet would not allow him to walk away anytime soon, so he was relieved when the Captain nodded once more and walked to Bucky’s room. As the door closed, Tony still stood in the hallway, watching the door, as he realized that he was in way deeper than he had expected.    

Steve walked into the Winter Soldier’s room, making himself heard so he would not startle his friend as he carefully sat down next to him. A complete silence filled the air for at least ten minutes as the two men stared in front of them.    

‘So,’ Bucky spoke first, ‘White sneakers under a grey suit, huh?’ he remarked with something that was supposed to be a smile, his voice hoarse and soft.   

‘Yeah,’ Steve nodded, surprised that his friend had noticed, ‘You okay?’    

‘Just catching my breath...’ Bucky sighed as he now leaned against Steve, his head resting on the man’s shoulder. ‘Thanks, Steve.’    

‘Anytime,’ the blond whispered, a warm smile on his face as he looked at his friend, placing his own head to rest on that of the soldier. ‘... Did you know there’s a ship named after us?’ he eventually asked, trying to distract the soldier from his thoughts.    

‘A ship?’ Bucky frowned, ‘Seriously? Like the Titanic?’    

‘Yeah, it’s called, uhm, Stucky!’ Steve chuckled softly as he awkwardly tried to explain, ‘You know, as in, Steve and Bucky, combined, makes Stucky.’   

‘... That’s just plane horrible,’ Bucky remarked as a genuine smile finally formed on his face.  

The two men stayed together for the rest of the night, the captain making sure to stay by his soldier’s side, while the soldier was just grateful to have his best friend right next to him. They continued to talk with each other about practically nothing, until a merciful sleep made them close their eyes and hush their thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You`ll never know, dear,   
> How much I love you.   
> Please don`t take my sunshine away.
> 
>  
> 
> James Buchanan Barnes - Bucky
> 
> James Buchanan Barnes was born on March 10, 1917 and was the eldest child of four. Barnes grew up to be an overachiever, having been an excellent athlete who had also excelled inside the classroom. Sometime during his childhood, he met Steve Rogers when bullies were trying to steal his money. The two became best friends and stuck together for many years, with Barnes often defending Rogers from bullies who would have attempted to take advantage of Rogers' short height and small build. 
> 
> He went out with a bang  
> Here's the thing about Bucky Barnes - he always dies. In The First Avenger, Bucky dies when he falls off a HYDRA train, but in the original comic, his death is somewhat more exciting. He and Cap are trying to disarm a drone equipped with a bomb and it explodes in mid-air, sending Bucky and Cap to their watery dooms. Bucky used to be known as one of the few comic book deaths that actually meant something. At one point there was even something known as the Bucky Clause, stating that "No one in comics stays dead except Bucky, Jason Todd, and Uncle Ben." Whoever made that up probably feels like an ass at this point, given that both Bucky Barnes and Jason Todd's been back from the dead. PS. In a seriously strange Avengers storyline, Bucky was brought back to life as a ghost by the villain Grandmaster and forced to fight his old pal Steve Rogers. Fortunately, this was in the late '80s, so no one cared and Bucky then went back to the grave for another few decades. 
> 
> Stan Lee Hated Bucky  
> According to Stan the Man, "One of my many pet peeves has always been the young teenage sidekick of the average superhero." So says the guy who created Johnny Storm. Nonetheless, this is a big part of why Bucky, who predates Marvel from the days of Timely Comics, was long one of the few plucky teenage sidekicks in Marvel continuity.


	5. Well-meant advice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back to another chapter!  
> As promised, from here on out, the fic will be all dedicated to FrostSpider again! (yaaaay)  
> So, buckle up, and enjoy the ride, for in the upcoming chapters there will be laughs, feels, confessions and confusions!
> 
> Enjoy the start!

‘YOU WENT TO ASGARD?!’ Ned waited for Peter to answer his half-question, half-incredulous-shouting.  

‘Sure did! And it was so awesome, Ned! Oh, and tonight, Lokes and I went to get some shawarma, it was so funny,’ Peter laughed, continuing before his friend was able to reply, ‘Yeah, so, he thought I had shawarma with extra spicy sauce, which, as you probably know, I would never order, but he did, so he took a bite of his shawarma and that face! I just could not stop laughing!’  

‘Why? What happened? Gods can’t handle spicy food?’ Ned managed to ask as Peter was about to ramble on.  

‘Can’t handle it? I thought he was going to explode! He was like “MY MOUTH IS ON FIRE!” and I tried to asked him if he wanted some water, but I just couldn’t, just that face, Ned!’ Peter said, the memory causing him to laugh again. ‘And he was just shouting at that poor shop owner to get him some water and the man was like “Are you sure you want some water, because-” but Lokes was just like “WATER! NOW!” I felt sorry for him, but really, he shouldn’t just order something blindly like that. I just couldn’t stop laughing Ned,’ Peter snorted loudly as he told the story, not noticing his own rambling. ‘but then Loki turned to me and told me to keep my mouth shut cause I have horrible garlic breath, but I don’t think it’s that bad, do you? Here, smell, maybe-’  

‘Get away from me! Ain’t no way I’m gonna smell your garlic breath, man!’ Ned laughed as he pushed his friend away. ‘Maybe you should have warned him for the spicy sauce.’ He shook his head as with a chuckle. ‘Seriously though, you two have been hanging out a lot lately, huh? I mean, you and Loki, the guy, not just Meya.’  

‘Yeah, I will remember to that next time,’ Peter said as his laughter died away into a soft chuckle, ‘I don’t think we’ll be going for shawarma anytime soon though...’ Then he looked up at his friend. ‘Wait, what?’  

‘Well, like I said, I get it that you hung around with “Meya,” I mean, she was just gorgeous and, well, hot. But I didn’t expect for you to hang out with Loki, not this much anyway. I mean, isn’t it weird for the both of you that you, you know, that moment on the roof, where you almost...’  

Peter’s eyes then grew wide for a moment in outrage. ‘No, gee, Ned, no, that, that was different. That was with Meya and she was upset and I was a bit upset and it just happened, okay? But nothing happened!’  

‘Something _almost_  happened, remember?’ But as Peter sighed in irritation, Ned decided to drop the subject for now. ‘So, he isn’t mad about what happened at the pool party?’  

‘Nah, he wouldn’t be mad with me, not even if I asked him to a thousand pool parties,’ Peter said, smiling a little more confidently now, but as his friend seemed to question that, he laughed. ‘Okay, if Valerie is there, one party is enough to get him slightly… agitated, but if she’s not there, I’m sure he’d be fine.’   

‘“Slightly agitated”? Peter you should have seen her back there! I swear, I thought she was going to destroy the city again like some Godzilla,’ Ned chuckled a little, though he felt a shiver running down his spine as he thought back to the enraged god. ‘I have to say, Pete, I expected a lot to happen to you when I discovered you were Spider-man and all, but never would I have thought an Asgardian god prince would fall in love with you,’ he then laughed. ‘Guess that kinda thing only happens to superheroes, huh? Yeah or maybe that Jane girl... Didn’t Thor have a-uhm, a _mortal_ girlfriend?’     

‘Fall in love with me?’ Peter asked seriously as he blinked his eyes, but he quickly crossed his arms as casually as he could. ‘What makes you say that?’      

‘Well, you two went to prom and to the pool party... In both cases he couldn’t handle you flirting with Val, and when he kissed you at prom, well, _you_ weren’t wearing any disguise, so I just assumed...’      

‘Yeah, but Ned, that was _Meya_ , not Loki, and, well, prom was different... I mean, he was disguised as Meya, he had basically become her, so it was Meya who kissed me, not Lokes, right?’ Suddenly he looked at his friend in mild outrage. ‘And I was not flirting with Val! I was being flirted-with, the flirtee!’   

‘So... when Loki’s Meya, he’s like an entirely different person? Like a schizophrenic or something? Or multiple personality disorder?’ Ned asked with squinted eyes as he tried to understand, not allowing Peter to stray from the subject again. ‘That must be really confusing, for both of you.’      

‘No, I, I don’t think it’s like that, it’s just... different, you know, it’s not the same.’      

‘So, Meya is Loki, but she’s not Loki, ‘cause it’s not the same?’     

‘Yeah, no, I don’t know!’ Peter said confused.   

‘So... it’s just “Meya” who’s in love with you, and not Loki?’ Ned guessed as he nodded a little. ‘Well, maybe that’s for the better. One-sided love can be really frustrating and annoying, but you know all about that with Val, huh?’      

‘One-sided?’ Peter asked, blinking as he processed the words.      

‘Yeah, I mean, it’s not like you...’ Then his eyes opened wide as he looked at his friend. ‘Oh my God, Pete... Do you love him? Not Meya, I mean, she’s freaking hot, but the guy underneath?'       

‘Wha-?! I, no, I mean, I, I don’t think so, or maybe I do, a little, I don’t know!’ Peter rambled as he turned a bright shade of red. ‘I like girls, Ned, or so I assumed... I don’t know...’    

‘Dude, it’s okay, I just needed to ask,’ Ned chuckled, throwing his hands in the air as a sign of surrender. ‘Seriously, you should figure this out, because I really think Loki’s got feelings for you, man.’    

‘Really?’ Peter asked, the comment causing him to panic, though something about this made his heart leap.    

‘Really, but I guess, if you’re only into girls... I mean, I know you liked Meya, that was pretty clear when I found you two on the roof,’ Ned chuckled after which his eyes widened in sudden realization, ‘Oh my God, Pete...’ he said softly as he stood up.   

‘What...? What is it now?’ Peter asked as the sudden change in his friend’s mood made him a little nervous.       

‘I just realized... you’re still a virgin because of me!’ Ned shouted bluntly as he jumped up from his bed, louder than he had intended, but since nobody else was home, he just continued, ‘And I don’t know if I should apologize or say “you’re welcome.” This stuff is so confusing...’      

‘Wha-?!’ Peter looked at him in complete astonishment, but his friend continued before he could say anything else.    

‘I mean, that time on the roof! You were with Meya and I was 100% sure you two were going to-’       

‘Ned!’ Peter interrupted, jumping to his feet. ‘Ned, don’t worry about it. Maybe we would not have gone through with it anyway. It was just a dumb idea, okay? I mean, I’m happy that it was you who found us and not someone else! Just imagine!’      

‘Yeah, it was a stupid idea, but that wasn’t what you were thinking at that moment, right?!’ Ned continued. ‘I mean, your hands were already under her clothes! I saw those hands there! It was the stupidest idea ever!’    

‘Oh, gee, thanks Ned, just what I needed to hear!’ Peter shouted, but then he started to laugh and he sat down again with a sigh. ‘Well, that’s what I’ve got you for, right? To stop me from doing stupid stuff?’ He chuckled. ‘My guy in the chair?’      

Ned smiled and nodded, sitting down again as well. ‘Right! And as your guy in the chair, I will help you figure out your feelings for your god-friend.’       

‘Thanks,’ Peter laughed. ‘That sounds great.’      

‘So, I guess a date really isn’t enough,’ Ned started, analyzing the situation. ‘I mean, you two have been to Asgard and you’re still doubting. There’s not a single thing that could top something like that, so maybe you should try a completely different approach.’     

‘Yeah, well, as long as the two of us are together, we should be okay, right?’    

‘Well, you’ve tried that already, haven’t you?’ Ned asked. ‘I haven’t seen you in days and as far as I can tell you’ve been with that guy twenty-four/seven.’  

‘Well, I wouldn’t say twenty-four/seven, exactly,’ Peter rubbed the back of his neck as he thought this through, ‘Okay, maybe we’ve spend quite some time together, yeah...’ he finally admitted.  

‘Dude, I think what you need is some alone-time,’ Ned said with a slow nod. ‘Just try to figure out what you want without him. Maybe that will help you clear your mind?’   

‘But…’ Peter sighed. ‘Maybe you’re right,’ he agreed eventually, though the idea did not appeal to him at all. ‘It’s worth the shot, I guess...’  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it is well-meant advice indeed, but will it work?  
> Is some alone time really what Peter needs? To clear his mind? Maybe to realize he actually likes guys and it makes him confess his feelings to the trickster?  
> Or will this lead only to more misunderstandings?  
> Find out in the next chapter! See you guys in two days!


	6. A Race at Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!
> 
> Sorry I didn't post any chapters yesterday (though I did promise) but I was a bit to busy celebrating Halloween! (I celebrated it yesterday because of work reasons ^^'
> 
> Anyway, we all remember last chapter?? The conversation between Peter and Ned, Ned advising our dearest spider-man to keep his distance for a little while? Yeah... Let's see how that will turn out!
> 
> Everyone ready? You sure? Alright! Let's do this!

The morning was still fresh and the grass still covered in dew as Peter ran over the track near the Stark Tower, Steve running by his side.   

‘I have to say, I was a little surprised to see you up this early,’ the captain said to the teen as he casually continued his run. His eye then caught by the Winter Soldier, who was training next to the tracks, and Steve was glad to see that his friend looked much better than last night.  

‘Yeah, well, I figured if I am going to be an Avenger, maybe I should work out more often, like you,’ Peter said with a smile.  

‘Couldn’t agree more,’ Steve nodded. ‘Let’s start with warming up, then I’ll help you on some moves, sounds good?’

‘Sounds awesome,’ peter nodded a little absentmindedly, his conversation from last night with Ned still playing through his head. 

As the two now silently ran on, Peter’s mind wandered off, all the events of the past weeks going through his mind. Prom, the pool party, Asgard. His feelings were simultaneously racing through his chest, but the physical exercise took his mind off of it again, allowing him to think things over without paying much attention to his emotions.   

‘You know, I'm all about you exercising more and I'd be happy to help you with that but... You really don’t seem all that focused today,’ the captain noticed and he frowned. ‘You sure you wanna do this?’   

‘Yeah, sure, why not,’ Peter shrugged, a bit annoyed as the captain pulled him out of his thoughts. ‘You don’t have to help me if you don’t feel like it.’  

‘What?’ Steve looked up in surprise, ‘No, Peter, that’s not it, it’s just-’  

‘On your left!’ a voice next to them sounded and the two men looked up, finding Loki, running along with them in his training gear.   

Peter stared at him, mouth ajar, and then turned to Steve, who looked equally baffled. ‘Am I dreaming or is he actually exercising?’ He then looked a little grumpy. So far for his plan to avoid the trickster…  

'Well, I don’t see a book so...’ Steve chuckled a little, ‘Maybe it’s hidden somewhere underneath his clothes.’ 

‘Oh, how very amusing,’ Loki grinned, ‘These tracks are for everyone to use, correct? I saw you two running and I thought I could join you.’  

‘Oh, yeah, sure. Hope you don’t mind eating dust though,’ Peter sighed, the sentence coming out colder than he had intended it to be.

Loki looked past the captain, who was running between the teen and himself, and glared at Peter, ‘What is that supposed to mean?’  

‘Well, Steve and I just happen to have super powers,’ Peter said with a shrug. ‘It might be hard for you to keep up with us.’  

‘Pfhah!’ Loki scoffed loudly but as he then noticed the teen was being serious, his expression changed into a challenging glare. ‘You were being serious? Peter, it cannot be true that you know this little about Asgardian physiques, can it? I would easily outrun you.’   

‘Oh, really? I bet if we would have a race, I would totally win.’  

‘There is no way I would lose to some Midgardian t-!’   

‘Guys,’ Steve sighed, bringing the three of them to a hold. ‘If you are so desperate on proving yourselves, why don’t you just have a little race and be done with it?’  

Loki and Peter stared at the captain and then at each other. ‘Fine,’ they said simultaneously.  

‘But we’ll be needing a referee though, ‘cause I'm sure Mister Magic over here is gonna cheat!’ Peter smirked, his arms crossed.   

‘Cheat? Me? I do not need to cheat to win from you, Spider-boy!’ 

‘Alright, fine!’ Steve sighed as he stepped between the two and then pointed at the white start line a few feet ahead on the track. ‘See that line? Just go stand over there so we can start.’  

‘What’s going on?’ Bucky asked and he joined Steve, as he had overheard the argument between the trickster and the spider.  

Steve sighed. ‘They are having a little competition to find out who’s faster, or better... Honestly, I don’t know how this started.’  

‘I see,’ Bucky chuckled. ‘Well, let them run. I’m getting curious now.’  

Steve looked at the two competitors, who continued to argue at the white line. ‘Gentlemen, are you ready?’ He asked as he looked at Loki and Peter, his stern voice instantly hushing the two.    

‘I can’t believe I am participating in this petty little race,’ Loki shook his head as he looked at his friend.  

‘Well, you can always chicken out?’ Peter offered with a smirk.    

‘I beg your pardon?’ Loki remarked as he raised a cocky brow, ‘I, sir, am no cowardly bird. Prepare to lose, Spider-child.’    

'Bring it on, old man!’ Peter shouted fanatically, causing Steve and Bucky to look up in surprise. ‘Sorry!’ Peter shouted to the two men, ‘I was talking about Lokes, not... not you two.’ As the men still stared at him with a wondering expression, he just shook his head. ‘Let’s do this!’    

‘A test of stamina,’ Bucky said after clearing his throat, he then pointed at the running track, ‘Twenty laps, first one to cross the finish wins.’    

‘And, for this challenge,’ the Captain continued, ‘We will not allow any magic or spider... gadgets,’ he said as he looked at Peter. ‘Just run, nothing more.’  

‘Sure! No problem, you ready Lokes?’ Peter asked the trickster with a wide grin.    

‘Yes, Yes, just try not to cry when-’ Loki then looked at the teen in slight surprise. ‘Oh, Peter, do not trip over your shoelace,’ he whispered quickly, causing Peter to look at his shoes.   

‘GO!’ Steve’s voice echoed over the track.   

‘Bye, Peter!’ Loki shouted as he dashed forward.   

‘Wha-?! Damn it Lokes! That's not fair!’ Peter shouted as he quickly followed the god.    

‘I was not cheating, you were just being gullible! Not my fault!’ The trickster laughed as he kept running.   

‘Oh, yeah?’ The teen grinned as he caught up with the raven. ‘See you in a few rounds!’    

As the two kept running, more Avengers started to gather on the training grounds. At first, they merely stared, some placing wagers on who would win, but soon enough, everyone was cheering and shouting, encouraging the two to run even faster.    

As they ran their final round, Steve caught up with them without much effort. ‘Come on, gentlemen! Final lap! Almost there!’ he shouted with an encouraging smile as he ran next to them, only receiving grumpy and confused glances from the competitors. ‘…Keep it up!’ the blond quickly added and he ran back to the finish to join Bucky, who was already standing there, glancing in confusion at the checkered flag he just got pushed in his hands by the Starlord.    

‘You could just give up, you know?’ Peter said panting as he and the trickster kept running.    

‘Peter?’ Loki panted heavily.   

‘Yeah?’    

‘You talk too much.’ At that moment, the trickster accelerated even further, but Peter caught up with him quickly.   

‘You thought you could lose me that easily, huh?’ Peter asked with a grin.    

‘No, but one can always hope.’   

‘Well, tough luck, Lokes,’ the teen managed to speak as the finish line came in sight. ‘Looks like I'm winning this thing!’    

‘Or so you thought!’ the trickster shouted and he smirked, ‘Peter, you should really tie your shoelaces better.’     

Peter laughed, or at least, for as far as his lungs would allow it. ‘I’m not falling for that again, Lokes!’    

‘No, Peter, I am being serious,’ Loki said as he looked at the teen’s feet, but he quickly turned his gaze towards the finish line again. ‘Your shoelace, left foot, it is loose.’    

‘Come on, I’m not that-’ Peter started but he suddenly fell face-forward to the ground. ‘What the?!’ he exclaimed as he saw that his shoelaces were indeed untied. Instead of tying them, he got up and ran after the trickster. ‘How did you even do that?! They said no magic!’    

‘I did not do anything! I cannot help it that you cannot tie your shoelaces yet, you little infant!’ Loki hissed as he tried to run even faster, but noticed he was starting to reach his limits, his lungs burning in his chest.     

‘Oh, come on, why would you first joke about it, then? You just can’t stand losing,’ Peter said as he gave a slight push against the trickster’s shoulder.   

‘At least I am not a childish imp and a sore loser,’ Loki reacted as he gave Peter a push back that nearly threw him off his balance.    

‘I’m not a sore loser, Lokes!’ the teen shouted as he pushed the trickster back again.  

‘You little cheater!’ Loki panted as the push made him lose his balance, causing him to crush into the jagged ground. But he didn’t go down alone. Just before he lost his footing completely, the trickster quickly clenched his hand around Peter’s wrist, dragging him to the ground with him.   

The two rolled down the track, their clothes completely covered in velvet dust as they finally came to a stop only a few feet away from the finish line. They looked at each other, staring at their grazed faces for a second while heavily panting. They then turned their attention back to the finish line.    

‘I’m winning this, Lokes!’ Peter shouted as he tried to get to his feet, but the trickster pulled him back, trying to get up before him.    

'I... I did not see this coming...’ Steve said, facepalming himself as he watched the scuffling competitors through his fingers. Thor, who had been watching the race for a while, chuckled and laid a hand on the captain’s shoulders.   

‘Well...’ the older god said as he watched the two fighting each other rather than trying to get up, ‘In their defense... They are but children,’ he shrugged and lowered the checkered flag that the Winter Soldier had just pushed into his hands.    

‘WHAT?!’ Loki shouted as he got up, pushing Peter away from him. ‘We are but children, brother?!’     

With the raven distracted, Peter saw his chance and he got up on his feet as quickly as he could.     

‘Oh, no, you are not!’ Loki shouted, jumping after de teen, catching his ankles with his hands, causing Peter to fall over again.   

‘HEY! That's not fair!’ Peter shouted as he looked at the two referees for support.  

‘Peter has won,’ Thor laughed, quickly waving his checkered flag.     

‘What?!’ Loki asked angrily, ‘Why?!’    

‘His fingers are over the finish,’ Thor pointed out. Loki looked beyond Peter and saw the fingertips that were indeed slightly crossing the finish line.    

‘Okay, that settles it,’ Steve said as he helped Peter back on his feet. ‘Peter, you won. Congratulations.’    

‘Yes!’ Peter cheered, jumping around. ‘Hear that, Lokes?’    

‘You fought, uh, _ran_ with honor, brother,’ Thor laughed as he patted his younger sibling on his back, causing for some red dust to float into the air.  

‘I expected nothing, yet I'm disappointed,’ Bucky sighed as he crossed his arms and looked at the trickster.  

‘As I said before,’ Loki panted heavily as he placed his hands on his knees to support his upper body. ‘I am a generous god, I merely gave you this one, Peter.’     

‘Oh, yeah, that’s why you kept trying to knock me off the track, huh?’ Peter panted, letting himself fall down in the grass with a content smirk, his chest heaving as his lungs never had to work this hard to provide his body with enough oxygen.    

‘Hey, you started!’ Loki reacted in an out-of-breath wheeze.    

‘Okay!’ Steve shouted as he looked at the two with a disapproving look. 'That’s it, race is over. You guys good now?’   

‘Obviously not,’ Loki glared, ‘Perhaps we could keep a competition on a different subject. One that does not allow cheating.’  

‘Well,’ Steve said as he scratched the back of his head, a puzzled expression on his face. ‘I guess I could think of something, you ready for another round, Peter?’  

‘Sir, yes, sir!’ Peter shouted as he laughed. ‘I don’t mind winning again.’  

‘We will see about that,’ Loki smirked. 

Steve then turned his attention to Clint and Natasha, discussing something which the two competitors could not quite hear, but they were called over after the three Avengers nodded in certain agreement.  

‘This challenge will be a breeze,’ Natasha started as she looked at the two.   

‘Oh yeah?’ Clint asked with a grin as he looked at the competitors. ‘Wouldn’t be so sure about that.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Marvel Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!  
> A little friendly competition never hurt anybody, right? Right?  
> Well let's see what the next challenge will be and how it will go down!
> 
> Anyway, here are today's facts! Ladies and gentlemen... On your left!
> 
> Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson; Falcon:
> 
> HE’S AN ORPHAN
> 
> In the tradition of superhero origin stories — Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. — the Falcon’s origin story begins with a young Sam Wilson being orphaned. In the comics, Sam Wilson grew up in Harlem, where his minister father was killed after attempting to break up a fight. His mother was killed in a mugging a few years later, leaving Sam behind. 
> 
> Not unlike the orphaned superheroes that came before him, the loss of his parents led Sam Wilson down a bad path before he eventually became the Falcon. Part of the Falcon’s original backstory was his dark past as Sam ‘Snap’ Wilson. Following the murders of his parents, he became a gangster with the aforementioned nickname. Though his character clearly had ties to the mob, it’s unclear what his role was exactly. Some say that he worked as a pimp, but that point has been debated. It's likely this origin story will never see the light of day in the MCU.
> 
> HIS WINGS WERE DESIGNED BY BLACK PANTHER
> 
> In the comics, when the Falcon needed some new wings following a fight with Anti-Cap (cue: round of applause for Marvel for that inspired villain name), Black Panther stepped in and gave him a massive upgrade. The wings, in addition to being gigantic — a wingspan of 50 feet — were made of, what else, vibranium. Thanks Black Panther!
> 
> Interestingly enough, in the MCU, it looks like the Falcon’s wings were made by Stark Industries. (His gear appears to be sporting a Stark Industries logo or two). The Falcon could still get new wings from Black Panther, but given the fact that Black Panther is clearly on Team Iron Man, and Falcon on Team Captain America, we're thinking it's going to be a while before these two get all buddy buddy. T'Challa's not going to be rushing to give Falcon vibranium wings anytime soon.
> 
> HE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH BIRDS
> 
> In the comics, the Falcon isn’t just a guy with mechanical wings — he also has the power to communicate telepathically with birds. Specifically, the Falcon shares a strong connection to Redwing, his pet falcon (what else?). Redwing is, more often than not, featured in the comics soaring right alongside the Falcon and Cap, helping them in their heroic endeavors. Redwing and the Falcon share a deep connection: the Falcon can see what Redwing sees, and he can also directly communicate with Redwing and other birds.
> 
> Redwing didn’t appear in The Winter Soldier, and, let’s face it, a telepathic bird doesn’t really fit into the MCU, but Captain America: Civil War will feature a new version of the Falcon’s beloved sidekick. As glimpsed in clips released for the film, instead of being an actual bird, Redwing will take the form of a fancy new drone that will aid the Avengers in their missions.
> 
> That's it for today guys! Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Also, I (missboaboa) was thinking about writing a Halloween themed short for tomorrow... anyone interested in that?
> 
> Anyway! Enjoy the rest of your day :D and, for those in different time-zones: HAPPY HALLOWEEN~!!


	7. A Shot at Noon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!
> 
> Hope you all had a fun Halloween's eve.  
> So, how many of you suffer from a hangover? Or rotting teeth?  
> Well, let's start this day of with a new chapter, shall we??
> 
> Enjoy!

‘So, what’s the deal?’ Peter asked as he looked around him, trying to spot any clue to what the next challenge could be.    

‘Here you go,’ Clint smirked as he handed both Peter and Loki a bow and three arrows.     

‘Archery?’ Loki asked a little confused as he looked at the simple but effective bow in hand.     

‘Archery,’ Natasha confirmed as she crossed her arms with a grin. ‘We would have done shooting but considering the both of you have never held a gun before, well, we settled on bow and arrow. Now, you see those marks over there?’ she said as she pointed out three marks in the far distance. ‘Try to hit them as best as you can. I don’t think I need to explain any further, right?’     

Loki and Peter squinted their eyes as they tried to spot the three marks.    

‘Aren’t those a little too far away?’ Peter asked as he finally spotted them. One mark hanging from a tree branch, moving softly in the breeze. The other two were hanging on a wall on different heights.    

‘I believe them to be rather manageable,’ Loki said as he took a better grip on his bow. ‘Though they are indeed quite far away.’    

‘Rather manageable?’ Peter repeated as he looked at the god, after which he let out a slightly desperate chuckle. ‘You think you can actually hit those? What are you? Some sort of Lord of The Rings Forest Elf?’    

‘No, I am not an elf,’ Loki said in all seriousness as he readied his bow and took aim for the first mark. ‘Such a foolish remark, Peter.’   

‘It was meant to be sarcastic, Lokes,’ Peter sighed as he looked at the concentrated expression of the raven.    

‘Okay, enough chit chat. Loki, considering you are already in place, I suggest that you start,’ Natasha said as she signaled Peter to take a step back with a nod of her head.    

‘But, you can’t be serious, right...?’ Peter asked as he stared at the targets and then looked at Natasha and Clint. ‘This is impossible, there’s no way-’    

Natasha looked at Peter with a raised brow and let out a sigh. She grabbed the gun strapped to her hip and, without any effort, let out three shots, all hitting the center of the target. ‘There,’ she said as she turned towards the teen with a smirk. ‘Ready?’     

‘Ready,’ Loki nodded, his eyes already focused on the first target.    

‘Be my guest,’ Natasha said with a smile and she stepped aside, giving the trickster all the space he could ask for.    

After taking a deep breath, Loki shot his first arrow, hitting one of the targets a few inches from the bullseye.    

‘You’ve got to be freaking kidding me...’ Peter uttered, his mouth hanging slightly open.    

‘You are doing great, brother!’ Thor cheered from the sideline, a proud smile on his face.     

‘I suppose it is acceptable,’ Loki murmured as he prepared another arrow and he kept his emerald green eyes on another target in the distance, barely breathing as to steady himself even further. Then, with hardly any sound, the arrow flew through the air, hitting the second target in the center.     

‘That’s... really impressive,’ Clint whispered to Natasha as they both stared at the target.    

‘I did not spend all my waking hours in the library, if that is what you thought,’ Loki chuckled, taking up the final arrow. His eyes were now on the slightly swinging target and he smiled as he pulled the string of the bow back, feeling the tension of the weapon in his hands and arms. Then he let go, the arrow piercing the target through its heart.    

‘Wooow, what’s this? A renaissance fair?’ Tony asked as he walked towards Steve and placed his hand on the man’s shoulder, watching the raven from a distance.    

‘Uh, yeah, something like that, I guess,’ Steve chuckled as he looked at Tony.    

‘Okay, question though,’ Tony said as he turned his gaze towards the captain, ‘Why?’    

‘I’m not really sure... I was just running on the tracks this morning, and then Peter joined me, and then Loki joined us, and they had this race, but it got out of hand... Something like that.’   

‘Uh, okay, yeah, everyday Avenger stuff...’ Tony chuckled as he watched the god and the teen, ‘So...’ he continued, but as his eyes met the ocean blue ones of the captain, he quickly stared forward again. ‘Would you maybe, uhm, be interested in another date? We could go somewhere completely different this time, you know, some place without screaming fangirls, just the two of us.’     

‘Another…?’ Steve repeated in surprise, but his eyes then darted back and forth restlessly to see if anyone had heard them. He then grabbed Tony’s wrist and quickly pulled him back inside the house.    

‘Hey, what’s this all about?’ Tony chuckled a little as he didn’t have much choice but to follow the captain.     

‘Tony, listen,’ Steve started as he quickly looked around himself to see if there was anyone close enough to hear them, ‘About yesterday’s... Dinner…’    

‘Yeah, what about it?’ the playboy asked as the constant darting of the blond’s eyes made him a little nervous. ‘What’s going on?’     

‘Okay, well,’ Steve took a deep breath, ‘I, I don’t think we...’  the captain started nervously but a shout out from Clint stopped him from finishing his sentence.    

‘Hey, ref!’ the archer called, signaling him to come back, ‘We need you here!’    

‘Yeah! Be right there!’ Steve shouted and he quickly looked at Tony, ‘I, uh, we’ll talk, some other time, okay?’     

‘But,’ Tony started but the blond was already walking away before he could ask anything else, ‘...Sure.’    

‘O-okay,’ Natasha said after she blinked a couple of times as Steve joined her side, surprised by Loki’s archery skills. ‘Uhm, Peter, you’re up next.’     

‘Yeah, sure, no problem, I can do this,’ Awkwardly, Peter balanced the arrow on the bow in his hands, ’So, how this work exactly?’ he asked, accidentally letting go of the arrow, which shot in to the sky. ‘Oh, shit...’ Peter mumbled as he tried to see where it would land.    

At that moment, Clint grabbed Peter’s bow from his hand, aimed for the teen’s arrow and shot it to send it down without hurting any of the spectators. ‘Well, something like that, but try to aim for the targets this time, kid,’ he said as he handed Peter back his bow and stepped towards the sideline.     

Loki wanted to follow the archer, but stopped walking as he looked at Peter, who tried to ready another arrow. He sighed and, with a gentle smile, took a stand behind Peter and placed his hands on those of the teen’s.    

‘Lokes?’ Peter asked in surprise as he looked up, feeling the god’s warm body close against his own. Loki kept a gentle hold of his hands, his chest pressed against his back while his face hovered close to the teen’s.     

‘Try placing your hand here,’ the raven started as he gently moved Peter’s hand on the bow, their fingers nearly intertwining. ‘This will give you a much better grip. Do you feel that?’ he spoke softly in Peter’s ear, almost in a whisper and Peter swore he felt a shiver running down his spine caused by the god’s soothing voice.    

The teen tried to avert his gaze from the raven as he wrapped his fingers around his weapon more tightly. ‘Yeah, got it.’   

‘Good,’ Loki nodded, his face still hovering close to that of the teen’s, their cheeks nearly touching as he focused on the target. ‘Now, try to take steady breaths. Focus on the target and nothing else.’     

Peter tried to do as Loki said, though he already noticed that this was way easier said than done. He finally managed to take his eyes of the god and found the target in the distance. Peter took a deep breath, not noticing that the trickster had taken a few steps back in the meantime.   

‘Alright,’ Peter whispered and he shot the arrow, which hit the third ring on the target. ‘I hit it!’ he shouted and he turned around, only to find Loki applauding some steps away from him.    

‘Well, what are you staring at?’ Loki said as he smiled, ‘Go on, you have one more arrow.’    

Peter stared at the god for a moment, after which he nodded in confidence and readied another arrow. This one hitting the target slightly more to the center, but not nearly as close as the trickster’s shots or those of Natasha, but to Peter, that did not matter and he let out a loud cheer.     

‘You did great, Peter,’ Loki smiled as he placed a hand on the teen’s shoulder, ‘You are a fast learner indeed.’    

‘Thanks, Lokes,’ Peter said happily as he wrapped his arms around the trickster’s waist. ‘Probably just a lucky shot though,’ he added in a chuckle as he quickly let go of the god, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.    

‘Well, I guess it’s clear who the winner is of this round,’ Clint said as he gestured to Loki. ‘Congrats.’    

‘Thank you, archer,’ Loki smirked a little as he handed the bow to its rightful owner. ‘One problem though: this makes it a draw,’ he said as he looked at Peter.    

‘Guess so...’ Peter nodded, wondering what else they could do.   

‘Oh, I know a game that will settle this once and for all,’ Clint said with a smirk.    

‘Fight to the death?’ Natasha asked in all seriousness as she looked at her war-partner. ‘I don’t think Tony, nor Steve, nor Thor are gonna allow that.’   

‘Uh, no, that was not what I was going for,’ Clint said as he chuckled a little. ‘So dark, Nat, are you from the DC Universe?’   

‘Oh! Like my comics!’ Peter said happily, ‘You could be Catwoman!’     

‘You already got the suit,’ Clint added in a chuckle, earning a deadly glare and a punch on his arm from the Widow, but she smiled eventually.    

‘Well, what _did_ you have in mind for their final challenge?’ she asked as she crossed her arms.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for today, hope to see you again in two days BECAUSE that will be the chapter where Peter, well, let's just say he comes to realize what he feels for our dearest trickster... FINALLY! (took you long enough Peter!)
> 
> Anyway, here our three facts you hopefully didn't know about our greatest archer! 
> 
> Clinton Francis "Clint" Barton - Hawkeye
> 
> HE HAD THE HOTS FOR SCARLET WITCH
> 
> After his successful entry into the Avengers, Hawkeye was quickly joined by two additional recruits: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, the superbly talented siblings. Hawkeye instantly developed an attraction to Scarlet Witch, though her overly protective brother did his best to put out the fire.  
> While Hawkeye’s passions never subsided, Scarlet Witch developed a relationship with Vision, which practically neutered Hawkeye of all his confidence. For someone so skilled with a bow and arrow, he ultimately lacked the finesse of his ancient predecessor, Cupid.
> 
>  
> 
> HE WAS ORPHANED AT A YOUNG AGE
> 
> Like many superheroes before him, Clint suffered the loss of his parents during his childhood. His father, Harold Barton, was a raging alcoholic who battled his addiction and frequently abused his family. Finally at the end of his rope, Harold and his wife, Edith, met their fate in a violent car accident.  
> Their deaths sent Clint and his brother, Bernard (referred to as Barney in the comics), to a local children’s home in Iowa. An inseparable duo for several years, the brothers eventually ran from their past and escaped the orphanage. Though his backstory has never been explored in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Clint’s early experiences in a broken home would haunt him until he finally found solace in the safety and thrill of his Hawkeye identity.
> 
>  
> 
> HE JOINED THE CIRCUS
> 
> This information could be a huge source of insecurity for Clint Barton. Imaging if Tony Stark just went off on the guy for “breathing fire...or, I’m sorry. Did you walk the tightrope or guess people’s weight? I forget.” Things could end badly.  
> The truth is always stranger than fiction. Indeed, Barton’s backstory had him learning his archery craft while a member of the itinerant circus, the Carson Carnival of Travelling Wonders. Clint and Barney were both up and comers in the entertainment business, but Clint really excelled as an archer. While in the Carson Carnival, Clint cultivated his alter-ego, Hawkeye, who quickly became known as “The World’s Greatest Marksman.” Even Mr. Stark would have trouble mocking that.
> 
> (guys, seriously, can we please ask Marvel for a Hawkeye movie now?? PLEASE?!)


	8. A Twist at Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys and welcome back!
> 
> So, you all remembered last two chapters?  
> \- A race at dawn - where Loki and Peter challenged each other on the tracks.  
> \- A shot at noon - where the two challenged each other at Archery (and where Steve tried to tell Tony... well, he tried to tell him something)
> 
> And now, get ready for - A twist at night. 
> 
> Can you imagine what kind of challenge this will be? ... I hope not actually, cause I think you guys will love it XD It was pretty fun to write, anyway!
> 
> Well, hope you will enjoy! :D

**Chapter 8**

**A Twist at Night**

 

‘Left hand on yellow,’ Clint instructed as he looked at Peter, who was already close to tipping over.    

‘Yellow?! Come on, man!’ Peter sighed and he leant on his right hand as he moved his left.   

‘Could you perhaps _not_ lean on me, Peter?’ Loki grumbled, his body twisted in a very uncomfortable position. ‘Why are we playing this again?’   

‘Because Twister is the ultimate game for an epic challenge,’ Clint said as he spun the arrow on the board. ‘It is about stamina and persistence. Plus,' he then looked over his shoulder, noticing how Bruce, Natasha, Rhodey and Sam were sitting on the couch, watching the two players with a smile. Thor, Bucky and Steve were standing from the sideline, making sure the two would not cheat. Sitting in a lazy chair was Tony, and although he occasionally smiled along, Clint couldn’t help but notice his overall gloomy presence. ‘Well, you two just look pretty ridiculous, which, I think, is a win for everyone.’    

‘Oh, I am going to get you for this one, archer!’ Loki murmured but he quickly shifted his focus back to his own balance.    

‘No, you’re not,’ Clint smirked as he spun the arrow on the board in hand. ‘Right foot on blue.’   

‘Right foot on bl-?! And how in the names of the Norns am I going to do that?!’ he sighed as he looked at the blue spots. ‘Peter, move your knee. Just because Thor is missing an eye does not mean I should lose one as well!’   

‘If you move your hip a little to the left, I can actually move,’ Peter complained, trying to make way for the trickster’s foot.    

‘Fine, just...’ Loki grumbled as he tried to adjust his body, touching a blue spot with the tip of his toes. ‘HA!’ he managed to shout in victory though he felt every muscle in his body tremble.    

‘Okay, Peter, right hand on red,’ Clint commanded as he sat back in his chair with a smirk, enjoying his view.    

‘Yeah,’ Peter said slowly as he tried to move his hand, but as his muscles were already completely worn-out from running and the game of archery, he slipped, his feet knocking over the trickster as well as he shouted, causing them to fall over one another.   

‘PETER, YOU DUNCE!’ Loki shouted, laughing loudly. ‘Come on, we were doing so well. Who won, Barton? It is obvious that Peter fell over first, would you not agree?’    

‘Well, although I hate to say this, Loki is right,’ Clint said as he could hardly contain his laughter. ‘Sorry Peter, looks like you lost.’  

‘Ah, fudgecakes,’ Peter laughed and he kept lying on the ground, causing the others to laugh along. ‘Maybe I’ll win some other time.'   

‘Yes, well, I am done playing games for today,’ Loki chuckled, then laughed even louder as he noticed that doing so ached the muscles in his stomach. ‘I can hardly move my legs. Or my arms, for that matter. Now get off me. I do not know about you, but I could really use a bath right now.’   

‘Or a bed,’ Peter chuckled as he looked at the clock. ‘Yeah, okay, just,’ he said as he tried to move, but his body didn’t respond at all. ‘Uhm, a little help maybe? Anyone? I really can’t seem to move a muscle, so...’ he looked around the room with a bit of an embarrassed smile.  

‘Well, that could not possibly be because you two played Twister for about two hours straight, could it?’ Steve asked sarcastically as he helped the boy up, but as Peter’s legs almost immediately fell from underneath him, the blond laughed and lifted him up in his arms.     

In the meantime, Thor walked over to Loki and lifted him first in his arms as well, but as the trickster protested strongly against this, the god of thunder decided to merely support his little brother.   

‘Thanks, Steve,’ Peter sighed happily as he let himself slumber in the man’s strong arms. ‘Set course to the base, Captain! I need to rest at my headquarters!'   

‘Yes, sir,’ Steve laughed as he carried the teen up the stairs, his smile only widening as he saw how Peter managed to lift his arm slightly and wave at his fellow Avengers.   

‘Night guys, and thanks!’ he smiled, his eyes then focused on those of Tony, who was merely staring ahead, lost in his thoughts. He looked at the playboy with a questioning gaze and spoke up a little with a smile. ‘Good night, Tony.’    

‘Night kid,’ the playboy said as he looked up and shook his head with a chuckle, watching his two favorite men disappearing up the stairs.    

‘I’ll have my revenge next time, Lokes!’ Peter managed to shout before they turned the corner. ‘This day shall not be forgotten!’   

‘Yes, yes, whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night,’ Loki chuckled as he tried to stand on his own feet, but failed immediately, causing him to fall against his brother’s side.    

‘Do you require aid, my dearest brother?’ Thor asked with a smirk as he helped the trickster up his feet again.    

‘Though every cell in my brain is screaming at me to say “no”, I believe I have little choice,’ Loki said as he sighed, his smile never fading. ‘Fine, I accept your helping hand, brother.’   

‘Splendid!’ Thor shouted merrily as he carried the trickster up the stairs.  

  

*****

  

‘It seems like you and Loki had a pretty good day.’ Steve said as he put Peter down on the Batman covers of his bed.   

‘Yeah, it was really fun,’ Peter smiled widely. ‘Thanks for being referee today, I know we kinda messed up your training schedule...’    

‘That’s okay,’ Steve smiled, ‘It was fun to watch you two compete like that. I had no clue that you would both take this so seriously that you would spend two hours of your lives playing Twister. You really surprised me there.’ 

‘Well, Lokes wasn’t giving in, so neither was I!’ Peter smiled as he tried to sit up. ‘Damn, I can’t move an inch! Who knew such a simple game could have so much impact?’    

‘Well, I don’t think anyone has ever played Twister for two hours straight, so that might explain the muscle pain,’ Steve chuckled, at which the teen managed to nod.   

‘So, how was dinner with Tony?’ Peter asked, his question clearly surprising the captain.    

‘Oh, well, uhm…’ Steve started, ‘The food was great. Nice restaurant, too. We had to walk back home through the rain, but that turned out to be pretty fun, actually.’    

‘Okay,’ Peter said slowly, squinting his eyes a little, after which he just decided to give it another go. ‘But how was it to just, you know, have dinner, the two of you? I mean, was it a date or more like friends?’    

‘Well...’ Steve started a little uncomfortable, ‘I thought it was just like friends, but, Tony ran his mouth and he asked if I wanted it to be a date and I,’ the captain stopped for a moment as his stomach started to cramp. ‘I, I agreed to that, so... I guess that means it was a date,’ he managed to conclude in a mumble, staring nervously at the teen as he waited his response.    

‘That’s cool,’ Peter said casually while nodding his head, after which he looked up at the ceiling above his bed, his mind drifting towards other thoughts.    

Steve looked at the youth in complete surprise, ‘You really think so…?’   

‘Hm?’ Peter asked, waken from his reverie.    

‘This dating, I mean, me and Tony… You really think that it is... _cool_?'    

‘Sure,’ Peter shrugged, but as he felt the puzzled eyes of the captain still staring at him, he looked at the blond, ‘Or, isn’t it?’ he asked as he tilted his head a little.    

‘I... I don’t know. I never expected to be in this situation, so this is all kinda new to me... I, I don’t know if I’m, you know, ready for this, being with another _man_...’ He then shook his head with a painful smile. ‘That must’ve sounded really stupid, huh?’    

‘Not at all,’ Peter said and he managed to sit up somewhat. ‘I mean, this stuff is pretty new to me, too, so I think I know what you’re going through, maybe, I mean you are about a century older than me and stuff, but I kinda get what you mean.’    

‘So, does that mean it’s safe for me to say that you and Loki...?’ Steve asked as he sat down on the bed next to Peter, a gentle smile on his face.    

Peter blinked his eyes for a moment as he thought the question through, but then he nodded and a content smile appeared on his face. ‘Yeah, I think so. I… I think I really love him. I mean, in Asgard, I found out that there are other people who love Loki-’ As the smirking face of the Grandmaster suddenly appeared in his mind, a shudder ran down his spine, ‘Well, they don’t _all_ love Lokes the way I do, but there was this girl, and she was really sweet and all, but when I found out that she wanted to tell Lokes she loved him, I, how do I put this?’ He thought it through carefully. ‘Do you know that feeling when someone comes up with a genius idea and you just wonder why you had not thought of it first?’    

‘Yeah, I get that,’ Steve smiled as he patiently waited for Peter to continue.    

‘Well, when she told me she was going to tell Loki how she felt, I just felt like an idiot. I just... panicked, and even cried, and I was sure he would choose _her_ and they would live happily ever after and all, and I even prepared myself to leave Asgard without him, but then he told her he did not love her like that...’    

‘Maybe that could be because he loves someone else?’ the captain suggested. ‘I mean, I can’t look inside Loki’s head, and most of the time I can’t really tell what he’s thinking, but I have noticed how he acts... different, around you. More relaxed.’    

‘Yeah, I thought about it all for a while, and I remembered all those times that he was Meya and we, you know, we kissed,’ Peter blushed a little at that part, knowing the captain’s eyes were still on him, ‘and I suddenly understood that all this time, it was really _him_ I was dating. We were having so much fun and I just feel so happy when I’m around him, I just...’ At a loss for words, he just allowed himself to fall back on the sheets of his bed again with a deep sigh. ‘Do you know that feeling?’    

‘Well, no, I mean, I don’t have any friends who pretended to be a girl, but I think I can imagine,’ the blond said as he slowly nodded. ‘Have you ever thought about telling this to Loki?’   

‘At first, I didn’t, but ever since Asgard I can’t stop thinking about it. I just don’t know how to say it. It’s kinda hard to tell someone that you love him.’    

‘I guess so,’ the captain said and he chuckled, ‘Peter? You mind if I lie down for a sec? I’m pretty beat myself.’    

‘Sure!’ Peter said, awkwardly shuffling over his bed to make some space for the captain. Steve lay down next to him and for a moment they just stared at the ceiling.   

‘I’m really sorry, kid, but I’m afraid I can’t really help you with all this, other than say that you should “just” tell him. Maybe you should ask Tony for advice? He has quite the dating record, maybe he could help you better than I can...’     

‘Maybe,’ Peter shrugged, ‘But you had a girlfriend once, right?’    

Steve gulped and a melancholic smile appeared on his face. ‘Yeah, there was a girl…’    

Peter looked aside and as he saw the captain struggling with his thoughts, he quickly laid a hand on the strong arm next to him. ‘We don’t have to talk about it!’     

‘That’s okay, Pete,’ the captain smiled at him, ‘It’s just... I know it’s been ages since Peggy and I, well, _planned_ a date... but it really feels like it was just yesterday, even now that she has... has passed away...’     

‘I’m, I’m really sorry, Steve, I-I didn’t know that...’ Peter said softly.    

‘That’s okay, you couldn’t know, it all happened during the fight over the Sokovia Accords. You were with Tony at the time, so...’ The captain then looked at Peter, whose guilty look was only growing worse, and Steve just smiled. ‘Really, Peter, don’t worry about it, okay? I'm trying not to look back too much and neither should you.’    

‘I get that,’ Peter nodded, his face showing how relieved he was. ‘But, can I ask you one more thing? About the present?’    

‘Sure, go ahead,’ Steve nodded.   

Peter gulped and took a deep breath. ‘Well, you and Tony... Are you like Lokes and me? Are you in a similar situation or is that not the case...?’    

‘I guess we are, sort of... I mean, Tony asked me on a date, so I guess that must give some sort of indication that he likes me... right?’ he then looked at Peter for confirmation.    

‘Yeah, it’s safe to say that,’ Peter chuckled.    

‘And, even though I never thought I would say this, or feel this, especially for another _man_ ,’ Steve rambled a little as his heart started to beat louder, but quickly took a deep breath to keep himself from continuing. ‘I think I might... like him as well...’    

‘Okay,’ Peter nodded, ‘That’s cool, but just know that there is no pressure, okay? Just take your time to figure it out.’    

Steve looked at Peter with wide eyes for a moment, followed by a snort. ‘I’m a bit confused, I thought I was supposed to give _you_ advice.’   

‘Yeah, so was I,’ Peter laughed, ‘Well, come on, you’ve got to have more advice for me, so tell me. I can take it!’    

‘I think that was all I got,’ Steve laughed. ‘Sorry, Pete, I’m not much of a love expert. Want me to send Tony in?’    

‘Nah, that’s okay, I think your first advise might be the best, you know, the one to “just” tell him.’    

‘Yeah, maybe I should listen to my own advice as well,’ Steve nodded. ‘Couldn’t I have thought of a way to actually say that? It sounds so easy like this, but I’m sure it’s not...’    

‘Nope, it will probably the hardest fight of our lives,’ Peter laughed. ‘Anyway, I think I'm tagging out for today. I'm beat and I think I'll need every minute of sleep my mind will allow me to have, so...’   

‘You want me to tuck you in as well or are you good?’ Steve said as he stood up from the bed with a teasing smile, though he grabbed a hold of Peter’s blankets anyway, readying himself to place them over the tired teen.    

‘Nah, I think I can move my toes,’ Peter tried, though he knew the captain was probably going to tug him in anyway. ‘If I can do that, I should be able to tuck myself in. I’m good.’    

‘Okay, good night, Peter, and thanks,’ Steve said, casually draping the blankets over the teen, though making sure he was completely covered, before he walked towards the door.    

‘Likewise,’ Peter smiled and he watched as the captain left his room, both his heart and mind racing as he was thinking about the big news he was going to tell the god of mischief tomorrow morning.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Now, to quote a "definitely-would-have-become" Avenger: "You didn't see that coming?"
> 
> We had a lot of fun writing the Twister scene, imagining the two tangled and cursing at each other X'D   
> Also, FREAKING FINALLY PETER! You go tell Lokes tomorrow morning! >:D
> 
> Anyway, now for some facts on the hero I would have loved to see joining the Avengers and who managed to make me cry like a little girl even though he had only, like what? About an hour of screen time? Here are three facts you hopefully didn't know about Quicksilver.
> 
> Pietro Django Maximoff - Quicksilver
> 
> He and his sister Wanda were once more than just siblings.
> 
> So, I’m just gonna start right off with this one. As we all know, Wanda and Pietro share a very intimate Brother-Sister Relationship, both on screen and in the comics. It was Jeph Loeb who wrote Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver taking their relationship to the next level. He decided to light a match and watch everyone’s innocence burn as he wrote an relationship between the brother and sister duo into the storyline of The Ultimates. Granted, The Ultimates was based in an alternate universe and nothing really counts outside of it, but still, once fans read that about Wanda and Pietro, it was pretty hard to unsee and forget. As far as everyone was concerned, Scarlet Witch’s main love interest was and always will be Vision, but it doesn’t stop Quicksilver from popping up on her list. Also, everyone in the MCU seemed to be perfectly okay with this except our dearest Captain America. The scene is set between Captain America and The Wasp. Cap has just had a bit of an altercation with Pietro about the way Wanda is dressed, and in typical quick-tempered Quicksilver fashion, he flies off the handle and threatens Cap, telling him to mind his own business. When The Wasp then tells Captain America that Pietro's like that because he loves his sister, poor, innocent Rogers is like, "duh, they're siblings." Then The Wasp drops the major bombshell, which is that they love each other, as in “lovers”.
> 
> Pietro sees Wanda as his sister, his lover and his mother.
> 
> If you’re thinking: surely this whole plot line couldn’t get any weirder, well, it most certainly can. It’s one thing that the brother and sister superhero pair can’t keep their hands off each other now, but add the fact that Pietro loves Wanda so much because she reminds him of their mother Magda, and you have a whole new level of… well, unusual. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch’s mother Magda was forced to abandon her children, and then we were also told that Marya Maximoff was actually the kids’ mom. Then, there was the whole incident of the Maximoff home burning to the ground with Marya in it, so it’s safe to say that the kids are probably craving some parental love. However, that being said, one would suggest that it might be time for Pietro to get some serious help as he now draws links between his mom and sister in that way. I guess you could call this some next-level Game of Thrones plot.
> 
> Quicksilver’s abilities;
> 
> Quicksilver can outrun Thor’s lightning bolts. Quicksilver also can run fast enough that his feet don’t break the water’s surface. Also, according to writer Peter David, Quicksilver’s arrogance is a side-effect of his power. He explained that Quicksilver is like that guy waiting in line behind the old lady with 20 packages wanting to know each way to send them to Africa. Quicksilver is faster than every other being on Earth so naturally, each and every being irritates him.
> 
> And that's it for today. Hope to see you again next time!


	9. Pride and Prudishness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A good day to my fellow Midgardians!
> 
> Now, for this chapter, we are going slightly back in time.  
> This chapter takes place during Steve and Peter's conversation in chapter 8, don't worry though! We'll catch up soon enough ;)
> 
> Hope you will enjoy!

‘You can leave now, Thor,’ Loki said as he sat down on the edge of the bathtub, though he was hardly able to keep himself from falling backwards as every muscle in his body ached.      

‘I do not share your optimism, brother,’ Thor said worriedly. ‘I would not like to leave you alone so you can drown in some insignificant Midgardian bathtub.’      

‘I will not drown, you dunce,’ Loki countered, but he immediately lost his balance as he tried to stand and undress, causing him to fall backwards into the hot water with a loud splash. ‘Not a word!’ he warned Thor as he coughed, fighting as hard as he could to keep his head above the water.      

‘Alright, this quite settles it. I am not leaving you, brother, and that is final.’ Thor lifted the soaked trickster out of the bathtub. ‘Or were you intending to bathe with your clothes on?’      

‘That depends. Are you staying here?’ Loki smirked, trying to stand on his own feet and push the god of thunder away. ‘Because if you do-’      

‘Oh, cease your whining! We used to take baths together all the time,’ Thor said as he pulled Loki’s soaked shirt over his head and threw it in a laundry basket before the raven could comment.       

‘For Norn’s sake, Thor, we were children then!’ Loki protested. ‘Besides, there is such a thing as privacy, and as an adult individual I am entitled to such a right,’ he stated as if angered, though a teasing smile remained on his face. He placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, trying to push him away with whatever strength he had left and chuckled. ‘You big bully.’       

‘I only act this way because I worry over you, baby brother,’ Thor placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder with a caring smile. 

His eyes were then drawn to the mirror behind the trickster, which exposed his smaller, pale back without any form of concealment. The god of thunder frowned heavily as he saw a glimpse of something which he could not immediately interpret. ‘Brother, do you have a tattoo?’      

‘I beg your pardon?’ Loki asked with a confused chuckle, but he suddenly understood what Thor was referring to and therefore hastily pushed his back against the wall. ‘No, just a scar.’     

‘What could have possibly happened to you that could leave such a scar?’ Thor asked in suspicion, his eyes now squinted. ‘You have tremendous healing abilities, you have never been injured for long unless your wounds were very severe.’    

'Well, I would like to see what you look like after a Hulk thrashing!’ Loki argued in his defense.     

‘He _has_ thrashed me, on Sakaar, you know this. Yet I do not carry such a mark on my body,’ the blond said as he tried to get a better look at the mark on his baby brother’s back. The so-called scar reminded him of something, though he could not tell exactly what. Whatever it was, it made him restless with worry.   

‘Well, it is none of your concern. Maybe I am just not as strong as you. Would that be surprising to anyone?’ Loki responded as casual as possible, though his brother’s interrogating gaze made him incredibly nervous.   

‘Let me see that scar, Loki,’ Thor suddenly demanded, his voice low.      

‘NO!’ The raven shouted, sitting down on the floor for his legs could no longer support his body. ‘No, leave me be, Thor! I have had it with you interfering with my private matters! Just go be with your friends or something, I could not care less! Just leave so I can bathe in peace!’      

Taken aback by the raven’s sudden outburst, Thor took a slow step back and nodded. ‘My apologies, Loki,’ he turned around, his back now towards his younger brother. ‘Please, take your bath and let me know when you are finished. I will help you to your chamber, so you may rest.’       

The trickster looked up in surprise and nodded. ‘Thank you,’ he muttered, softer than he had intended it to sound. He wondered for a moment whether he should ask his brother to leave the room, but he then tranquilly stood up, quickly undressed and stepped into the bathtub, secretly relieved to not be alone with the horrific memories that threatened to play in his mind.      

After a short silence, Thor cleared his throat. ‘Since when are you this prudish, anyway?’ he decided to ask, followed by a scoffing chuckle.      

‘This is _not_ a matter of being prudish,’ Loki corrected his brother, his voice sounding a little amused at the thought of it, ‘No, this is simply a matter of privacy. Maybe I just do not need _you_ to see me like this.’      

‘Oh please,’ Thor remarked, rolling his eyes. ‘Remember the countless times we used to bathe together when still in Asgard? Mother would not dare to leave us alone, for she was always afraid one of us would drown.’ The god of thunder smiled melancholically as the memories started to come back. ‘At that time, we thought she was being foolish and overprotective, however, looking back on it now, I believe she might have saved our lives more times than we would like to admit.’      

‘Perhaps,’ Loki hesitantly agreed, the mentioning of their mother suddenly stinging in his chest. ‘She wanted the best for us, the both of us. We should be grateful for that.’ To cheer his brother up somewhat, or maybe rather himself, he continued, ‘Perhaps we are older and wiser now. Or just older.’      

‘Older indeed, as for wiser... well, let us just call it life experience,’ Thor smiled.      

‘Agreed,’ Thor heard Loki say in response, but then suddenly his brother started to curse, causing Thor to turn around in panic.      

‘Brother, what is-’      

‘DID I SAY YOU COULD TURN AROUND?!’ Loki shouted, throwing a bottle of shampoo at the blond’s head and pulling his legs against his upper body. ‘I just got some soap in my eye, that is all. Norns, you are being so jumpy, brother.’      

‘I am...?’ the blond asked as he wondered. ‘Well, my apologies.’      

Loki sighed deeply. ‘No need to apologize, just... Just do not worry like that. It makes me feel like a child that needs looking after, and I think we can agree on the fact that I am not that,’ but as Loki looked at his brother, he noticed that something was troubling him, still. ‘What is on your mind?’ the raven asked with slightly squinted eyes, though he was not really sure he wanted to know the answer.     

Thor tried to pick his words carefully, although he would rather say what was on his heart straight away. ‘Brother, there have been times, many times, that I failed to look after you the way mother had wanted me too, and I am not certain... whether I have ever told you, or whether you ever understood, how sorry I am for those times...’       

Loki opened his mouth to speak, but as the words hit him, he closed his mouth in order to swallow away some sudden tears. ‘Brother, you...’      

‘No, I have failed you,’ Thor said rigidly, clenching his jaw. ‘I am sorry, Loki, for all those times. I have not been the brother you deserve. I was foolish and arrogant, and I have failed you.’      

Trying to make himself believe that the tear that softly trickled down his cheek was just bath water, Loki quickly searched for something witty, something clever to reply with, but as he could not come up with a sharp or sarcastic remark, he decided to say something more... honest. ‘I, I might not have been quite the role-model brother myself... I believe we have both been in the wrong there... many more times than we would like to admit,’ he said softly.      

Thor nodded in agreement, his back still turned towards Loki. ‘Brother, can I ask for your forgiveness? So we may live today and for many more days to come like true brothers again, like we did when we were children?’      

‘...Forgiven...’ Loki managed to speak, his voice a mere whisper, for his emotions did not allow him to speak up as they choked up his throat.      

‘Can I... just turn around now?’ Thor chuckled awkwardly.      

‘Only if you hand me a towel first,’ Loki said with a slight grin, extending a hand towards his brother so he might see it if he glanced aside. As Thor handed him the soft fabric, Loki quickly stepped out of the bath and wrapped it around his waist. ‘You can turn around, brother.’      

Immediately he felt the strong arms of his brother around him, hugging him and holding him close. After standing in the older god’s embrace like a statue for a few seconds, Loki softly wrapped his arms around his brother, the both of them just laughing at the awkwardness and winsomeness of the moment.      

‘You are soaked now, Thor,’ Loki chuckled, looking at the god of thunder as he quickly wiped a tear from his eyes. ‘Might I suggest you change into something dry, before you catch a cold?’      

‘It would be worth it, Loki,’ Thor laughed, taking a look at his shirt. ‘And a god of thunder can handle a little splash of water, no need to be _jumpy_ about it,’ He continued, quoting some of his brother’s words with a joking grin. ‘I will be in the hallway, so you can put on some clothes, _in peace_.’     

‘I would appreciate that,’ Loki replied with a smile, waiting for Thor to leave the room before drying the rest of his body and putting on the clothes his brother had carefully laid out for him. He could not help but chuckle as he walked into the hallway and found his brother waiting next to the door, more patiently than he had ever seen him wait for anything in his life, especially since he was not usually the patient type.      

‘Shall we?’ Thor asked, extending an arm to his brother, who just chuckled and leaned heavily on the god of thunder.     

‘Let us set sail to my quarters,’ the trickster smiled as he thought of the dramatic exit Peter had made after their game of Twister as the captain had carried him upstairs. The two then looked up as they heard a door open and close in front of them, their eyes meeting the bright blue ones of Steve, who just exited the teen’s room.      

After a short silence and some staring, the captain spoke. ‘What happened to you?’ he asked with a questioning smile as he looked at Thor’s soaked clothes.      

‘I, well,’ Thor started, but as he heard his younger brother chuckle, he kept quiet.     

‘It is nothing, Captain,’ Loki said casually, ‘Thor merely saved me from drowning in an insignificant Midgardian bathtub, that is all. Noting to be... _jumpy_ about,’ he continued, causing both gods to laugh together.      

‘... Okay,’ Steve said as he chuckled along, and although he did not really understand why the two were laughing, he was just happy to see them this close. ‘Well, keep up the good work then. Being an Avenger is a full-time job, so I’ve heard,’ he joked, noticing he was rather tired himself. He then looked at Loki, his content smile widening even further as he remembered his conversation with Peter.       

‘Is something the matter, Steven?’ Loki asked as he started to lean on his brother even more.      

‘No, it’s nothing, never mind. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.’      

‘Aren’t we all,’ Thor smiled merely as he wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist to support him better. ‘I believe it is best we all make for an early night.’      

‘Yes, well, if it is up to me, I will go straight to bed and you will not hear from me until noon tomorrow,’ Loki laughed. ‘Some sleep should help me recover from this day of battle.’      

‘Yeah, you must be tired,’ Steve agreed. ‘Well, that leaves me with nothing else to do but to bid you a fond farewell and a good night,’ he added with a nod, continuing to walk his way down the corridor after the two gods nodded in agreement.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, a little brotherly love always has me fangirl-ing like crazy. You have no idea how many "ahw"'s left my mouth while writing this XD  
> Anyway, what's up with Loki's back, huh? 
> 
> Will we ever explain this? Yes we will!  
> And when will we explain? In some other chapter! :D
> 
> Now, to take your mind off of things for a little while, here are today's facts!
> 
> As we did the one and only Quicksilver in the previous chapter, I thought it might be a good idea to not separate him from his dearest sister... mother.... girlfriend...? Let's just go with sister! For MCU sake ;)
> 
> Here are 3 facts about Scarlet Witch you hopefully didn't know :) 
> 
> Scarlet Witch - Wanda Marya Maximoff
> 
> She Was Originally an X-Men Villian
> 
> That's right! Wanda Maximoff made her first appearance in X-Men #4 where she was actually part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. She and her brother Piertro joined up with Magneto's team of baddies to fight the X-Men in one of their earliest adventures. It was a brief stint and the mutant twins went on to quit the Brotherhood and work with the Avengers instead. Also, she wasn't all that scarlet either... During the first few issues of the comic, her suit was a bright shade of green. 
> 
> Scarlet Witch Was The Catalyst for 'House of M'
> 
> After Avengers Disassembled, in which Wanda was controlled and used to, well, disassemble the Avengers, the woman was unable to be helped in her emotional fragile state. Left comatose, the Avengers and X-Men gathered to discuss if Wanda should be killed to prevent any more cataclysms. Outraged, Quicksilver convinces Wanda to warp reality into a world where mutants are the dominant race. After a long struggle in the House of M reality, Wanda attempts to reverse the effects by speaking the words "No More Mutants" - reverting the world back to normal but also de-powering 90% of the world's mutant population. 
> 
> Scarlet Witch Married The Vision And Had Children
> 
> Wanda fell in love with the synthezoid Vision end eventually married him. 
> 
> Wanda eventually drew on magic energy so she could give birth to twin sons, Tommy and Billy, but this energy was eventually revealed to have come from the demon Mephisto, who reabsorbed them, effectively ending their existence. Her former teacher, Agatha Harkness cast a spell to make her forget her children in order to ease her pain. One day after Wasp had a few drinks, she revealed to Wanda that she once had children whose existence and death were hidden to her. This triggered something deep inside Wanda’s mind. She sought out Agatha to learn the truth, and murdered her for her betrayal. After that, she went on to exact her revenge on her fellow Avengers. 
> 
> Also! Following super heroes such as Beast Boy, Wonder Woman and Magneto, she is known to be a vegetarian.
> 
> And that's it for today! Hope you enjoyed this chapters and the facts. See you again in two days :D


	10. Straight from the Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not the super suit that you're in  
> Or the light coming off of your skin
> 
> The fragile heart you protected for so long  
> Or the mercy in your sense of right and wrong
> 
> It's not your hands searching slow in the dark  
> Or your nails leaving love's watermark
> 
> It's not the way you talk me off the roof  
> Your questions like directions to the truth
> 
> It's knowing that this can't go on forever  
> Likely one of us will have to spend some days alone  
> Maybe we'll get forty years together  
> But one day you'll be gone  
> Or one day I'll be gone…
> 
> ...

Happy to finally find himself in his room, Loki let himself fall against his brother completely. ‘Norns, I cannot remember being this tired...’ he sighed with a smile. ‘Could you find it in your heart to help me to my bed?’ he grinned, though the feeling of being almost completely unable to move his own body made him feel a little helpless.      

‘Only because I am such a generous god,’ Thor laughed as he carefully lifted his younger brother from the ground to lay him down on his bed. ‘So...’ he continued, wanting to sit down next to his brother, but deciding not to. ‘Do you have plans for tomorrow?’       

‘Other than to sleep in, no,’ Loki said as he thought this through, followed by a soft chuckle, ‘Though with Peter, one might never know what the day will bring, would you not agree?’ he smiled.       

‘Yes, quite,’ Thor nodded slowly. ‘He is a very lively spirit indeed.’      

‘Quite,’ Loki echoed his brother with a sigh. He looked over at Thor, who kept an eye on his brother, and Loki decided to muster up the little courage he could manage with the energy the day had left him, and he spoke. ‘Brother, since we are reconciled, I have to get something off my chest. It has been troubling my mind for some time now, and, unbelievable as it may sound, I actually do not know how to handle this situation...’   

‘And you are asking me for help on this matter?’ Thor asked surprised, though an immediate smile followed as he had never felt so blessed with the trust his brother placed in him.      

‘I am asking you to listen,’ Loki chuckled, ‘And if you, by any miracle, happen to have got some useful advice, I would love to hear it, but most of all I just want to tell someone.’      

‘By all means,’ Thor said as he wanted to sit down next to Loki, but decided to wait for the god’s approval first.     

‘For Norn’s sake, Thor, you can sit down on my bed,’ Loki laughed as he followed his brother’s eyes to the edge of the bed.      

‘Tell me,’ Thor said as he let himself fall on the raven’s bed, causing the trickster to be launched a few inches into the air. ‘What is troubling you?’      

‘…Alright,’ Loki said as he took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Perhaps you can guess what this is about, but I will just tell you. Now, how would one say this...’ He thought for a moment, looking for words, but nothing came to mind.      

‘Try talking straight from the heart, Loki,’ Thor said with an encouraging smile. ‘I find it to be the best thing to do, most of the time.’       

Loki stared at his brother in surprise, but then smiled. ‘Maybe that will work, yes. My mind is done for the day. Alright, brother, I believe...’ The raven took deep breaths to calm himself as his heart suddenly started to race, ‘I think… I-I might love... I love Peter.’ As he had uttered the words, he sighed deeply in relief and allowed himself to slumber on his bed. ‘What a secret to keep,’ he muttered, interrupted by his own chuckles, as he realized he had just shared this with his brother. The raven looked at the blond as a silence ensued, nervously waiting for any form of response. ‘... Brother?’    

‘I see,’ Thor merely said, his brows knitted as he stared at the ceiling as well, contemplating the matter.     

‘Please, just speak. Straight from the heart, remember?’ Loki said hurriedly, ‘I do not like it when you contemplate something for this long,’ he added in a chuckle in an attempt to lighten the air, but his brother’s face remained clouded.      

‘I thought you always had feelings for the maiden from the library,’ Thor tried, though he did not turn around to face his brother. ‘Asta, I believe her name was. You two were always very close.’      

Surprised to hear her name, Loki blinked his eyes and then chuckled a little awkwardly. ‘Well, yes, it is true that I do care for her very, _very_ deeply, but, no, I do not love her, not anymore, I think, at least,’ Loki spoke quickly as a slight blush colored his face, wondering if he had said too much.       

‘And you are absolutely certain you love the Boy of Spiders?’ Thor asked hesitantly.      

‘I do believe so, yes...’ Loki nodded slowly, the hesitant behavior of his brother starting to work on his nerves.      

‘To be honest, brother, my heart is rather torn over the matter. Will you allow me to explain myself?’      

‘... Speak your mind,’ Loki said carefully as he felt his heart beating loudly in his chest.      

‘Alright,’ Thor said, mentally preparing for what he was about to say. ‘First of all, Peter is a good person, I know that. What I am about to say is nothing personal towards him or to you, please know this. It is just about... facts. Also,’      

‘Just speak, Thor! You are making me nervous,' Loki impatiently interrupted his brother.      

‘Alright, I am sorry, it is just... You do realize that Peter, as a Midgardian, can only be with you for so many years, before he must vanish from your life, right?’      

‘I, I have come to realize this...’ Loki nodded slowly, ‘But was it not the same with you and the mortal woman? It did not stop you from loving her now, did it?’ he tried with a smile.      

‘I was not thinking about it at the time,’ Thor said, admitting his brother had a point. ‘But maybe, in my heart, I knew Jane and I were not meant to be, not forever. A mutual dump was the best solution for us, I think…’      

‘Brother,’ Loki interrupted as he managed to sit up straight again, ‘What if, by any chance, it would have been meant to be? You cannot stop and hide your feelings, or live your life by mere facts... Believe me, I have tried, as you might know, and you saw where that has gotten me...’     

‘I have chosen to guard my heart, Loki, and I would never forgive myself if I gave you hope, only to see you suffer later.’      

‘Well,’ the raven tried again, though his voice sounded less convincing with every word he spoke, ‘Is this not a case of, what do the mortals call it... “we cross that bridge once we get there?”’ he looked at his brother, ‘I cannot see into the future, Thor... I-I know our life spans differ, however...’      

‘Postponing the inevitable, brother, is not a permanent solution,’ Thor sighed with a pitiful smile. ‘What if you reach that bridge? Will you be ready when that moment comes?’      

‘You mean, if I will be ready when he… he dies…?’ Loki did not know what else he could do but to shrug weakly, suddenly feeling his stomach cramping up to the point that he was almost curling in on himself. ‘I, I believe so...’     

‘Understand, brother, I merely intend to help...’ Thor said worriedly as he saw his brother’s skin turn a deathly shade of pale. ‘I am not trying to oppose your relationship or a chance at happiness. I am just asking you to consider this carefully.’ As a silence followed, Thor noticed how his brother’s hands had slowly clenched into fists on his lap, his jaw trembling slightly. ‘Loki?’ The god asked softly, trying not to break the frail bond they had forged.      

‘I have tried,’ Loki spoke, his voice quivering, a mere whisper. ‘I have tried, Thor, to keep my distance, to tell myself it is all... a pathetical false hope. I blamed my feelings on “Meya,” and even on Anthony for a moment as he was the one who had sent us to that prom! But I just cannot seem to rid myself of these feelings no matter how hard I try...’      

‘It is a complicated situation indeed,’ Thor agreed, a bit lost himself. ‘Would... would you like me to talk to Peter? As a, what is it called, a mediator? To make sure he has thought about this as well? I mean, he can be a rather ignorant young man sometimes...’      

Loki looked at his brother, tears forming in his eyes, but eventually shook his head, ‘It is of no use, Thor... Peter does not love men, anyway...’ he then swallowed thickly. ‘During prom he... he had tried to tell “Meya” that he _loved_ her... Yet, before we went to Asgard, he told me that he _cared_ for me, of which I am truly grateful, however...’ he then shook his head. ‘Even on Asgard, he tried to set me on a date with Asta…’   

‘Well, that settles it then, I suppose,’ Thor sighed, feeling truly sorry for his little brother. ‘But you wish to tell him nonetheless?’     

Loki shook his head. ‘I am too afraid to lose him as a friend...’ He then looked at his older brother as a tear trickled down his face, ‘just tell me Thor... how do I rid myself of this horrid feeling of love...? I have tried to find the answer in mother’s spell books, which I retrieved from Asgard, but I just cannot seem to find the solution in any form of magic...’      

Thor smiled amiably and wrapped an arm around his brother’s smaller shoulders. ‘There is but one way to rid oneself of these feelings, and all it takes is time and distance, brother, that is what experience has taught me, anyway. There is nothing else you can do.’      

Loki nodded reluctantly as he leaned against the blond, hardly able to control his tears as he closed his eyes and trembled softly. ‘I do not believe I have such patience...’ he whispered.      

‘If anyone has patience, brother, it is you,’ Thor whispered with an encouraging smile. ‘And if even I can do it, you should definitely be able to.’      

‘...Thor?’       

‘Yes, brother?’      

‘If you were to be tired... I would allow you to sleep here... for your sake...’ Loki whispered as he almost buried his face in his brother’s broad chest.   

Thor looked at his brother in surprise and then nodded with a smile. ‘I would be honored,’ he said, noticing the sadness he had caused and he held the raven a little closer. ‘I am here, brother,’ he whispered, hearing his younger brother’s choked up cries, tears slowly trickling down on his shirt as he wrapped both arms around Loki and held him close through the rest of the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's knowing that this can't go on forever  
> Likely one of us will have to spend some days alone  
> Maybe we'll get forty years together  
> But one day you'll be gone  
> Or one day I'll be gone…
> 
> ...


	11. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Welcome back to another chapter!
> 
> So, has everyone's hearts healed yet from the last chapter?? It was just so sad but also Thor trying to be a good brother and the two bonding was just so cute...  
> Anyway, we hope to help you mend your hearts with this one.
> 
> We will be going back in time just slightly.
> 
> Again?!
> 
> Yes, again. (that's what you get for trying to follow 6 characters in one night XD)
> 
> Anyway, remember the ending of chapter 9?? Thor en Loki left the bathroom and ran into Steve who was coming from Peter's room. The two gods proceeded to Loki's bedroom, while Steve went downstairs again.... SO! Let's now see what our dearest blond captain has been up to during the emotional conversation between the two brothers.
> 
> Hope you will enjoy!

Steve sighed contently as he walked down the stairs, suddenly freezing in his step as he saw only Tony sitting in the living room. ‘Everyone off to bed?’ he asked as he managed to continue his walk.    

‘Hm?’ Tony asked as the captain’s voice startled him, causing him to turn around. ‘Yeah, no, they’re all, uh, somewhere, I guess, I don’t exactly keep track of everyone.’    

‘Yeah, no, sure,’ Steve said a little nervously as he kept his eyes on Tony. ‘You uhm, want something to drink, or eat, or both?’     

‘Sure, as long as it’s not coffee, anyway,’ Tony chuckled.     

‘Scotch better?’ Steve asked, the playboy’s favorite brand of whiskey already in hand.    

‘Yeah, that would be great, actually,’ Tony answered in surprise. ‘You know me too well, Cap, it’s scary.’    

‘Yeah, scary,’ The blond repeated a bit nervously and he sat down next to Tony.    

‘Not really, Rogers,’ the playboy chuckled, but as he saw the captain’s tense expression, he became a little worried. ‘Something wrong, Steve? Something wrong with the kid?’   

‘Hm?’ Steve asked as he looked up. ‘Oh, no, he’s, he’s fine, _great_ , actually,’ he nodded.     

‘Okay,’ Tony said slowly, still a little suspicious. ’Anything else on your mind?’    

Steve sighed as his foot nervously tapped on the floor, his eyes darting from Tony to the drink in his hands.    

‘Can you stop that? You’re making me nervous,’ Tony suddenly asked, looking straight into the captain’s eyes, that looked up in surprise, the nervous tapping having escaped the man’s own attention.    

‘Yeah, sorry.’ He then took a deep breath and turned to his friend. ‘Listen, Tony, about our date... and about me acting so... weird during that archery competition,’ he started hesitantly, his heart beating loudly in his chest.    

‘I would like to hear more about that, yes,’ Tony said as he put his drink on the table.    

‘Okay, so, the thing is...’ the captain felt his stomach turning into a tight knot again, but he still tried to take a deep breath, ‘I’m sorry, for acting so stupid, it’s just... when you asked me this afternoon, about going on another date in front of everyone, well, it... scared me...’    

‘First of all, I don’t think anyone really overheard us, I was being rather discrete,’ Tony stated drily. ‘Secondly,’ it was only then that the words hit the playboy and he closed his mouth, staring at his friend. ‘Uh, okay, yeah, I didn’t mean to scare you, obviously. I suppose I can be a bit fast with these things, but just tell me what _you_ want, ‘cause I just... I tend to rush things,’ he noticed some color rising to his own cheeks as he admitted this, his face feeling ablaze.    

Steve looked at Tony, a gentle smile coming back to his face as he continued. ‘It wasn’t that, Tony, well, it was, partly, but...’ he then sighed, ‘I am really trying to live in the now, really, I am, but you have to understand, I was born and raised during the forties. Homosexuality was... it was a sin, illegal, a mental illness... and when you asked me about our date, I just felt like a sixteen-year-old kid again, as if my parents were watching me and I... I freaked out... I'm really sorry, Tony...’    

‘...Wow, okay, uh,’ Tony said as he was trying to take this all in. ‘Yeah, no, I get that. I just, I hadn’t thought of that myself, I suppose. I didn’t think it would be that much of an issue for you, but perhaps I was looking too much at my own feelings and thoughts about this instead of asking about yours...’ He looked up at the captain, swallowing nervously as he managed to utter the question. ‘So… What do _you_ want, Steve? Should we just end this or...?’    

A short silence followed, in which Steve gathered every bit of courage he had and he shook his head. ‘No, I, I don’t want this to end...’ he finally managed to say and he looked at Tony, ‘If you still want to continue this, well, whatever this is...’    

The playboy just stared at his friends and suddenly smiled, a wave of relief washing over him. ‘Okay, yeah, I’d like that.’    

As a more relaxed smile became visible on the captain’s face, he managed to ask, ‘So... you ever, uhm, _fondued_ with men before...?’     

‘What?’ Tony asked, wondering whether he had heard correctly. ‘Fondued with...?’    

Steve laughed awkwardly. ‘A little inside joke between Howard and me, never mind.’    

‘Okay, weird, very weird,’ Tony chuckled, ‘But you meant to ask... whether I have ever been with a man before? Is that it? Or is fondueing something more specific...’    

‘Forget about what I said!’ Steve laughed, Tony’s confused and teasing expressing only making him laugh harder. ‘Please, forget that I ever said that. I just wondered whether you had ever been in a relationship or something with a guy, yeah, that’s what I meant.’    

‘Nope, you’re my first,’ Tony said as they laughed together.   

‘Well, that makes two of us,’ Steve nodded, a bit of laughter still ringing through his voice. ‘So, what do we do now? I mean, are we just going to date or is this something more, like a relationship? Or is that too soon? I have no clue how this works.’ He then laughed as he shook his head. ‘The coffee machine made more sense than this.’    

Tony stared at Steve for a second before he started to laugh again, ‘You’re killing me, Rogers, really.’   

‘ _I’m_ killing _you_?!’ Steve asked, pretending to sound indignant. ‘You are the one who thought of this, Stark. I thought you had a combat plan ready and everything.’    

‘I do, usually, but with you...’ Tony then kept his mouth shut, changing the sentence he was about to say. ‘Anyway, what do _you_ want to do?’   

‘Well, there is one thing I would really like to try, but you have to promise not to laugh or anything,’ Steve sighed, blushing slightly.    

‘Okay...’ Tony said, a little suspiciously. ‘Tell me, what is it?’    

‘Okay,’ the blond deeply inhaled, ‘Here goes nothing.’ At that point, he suddenly leaned forward with closed eyes, his face smashing into Tony’s with such speed that he immediately withdrew. ‘Oh, God! Tony, I didn’t mean to... A-are you okay?!’    

‘Yeah, no, I don’t know,’ Tony said as he felt some blood dripping down his nose. ‘So, really trying to be the supportive boyfriend here, Steve, but... what _exactly_ were you trying to do?!’ he asked with a frown as he tried to stop the bleeding.    

‘Oh no, I’ll just get you a towel, wait here, don’t move!’ Steve said worriedly, ignoring the question as he ran to the kitchen.    

‘No, Steve, wait,’ Tony said as he tried to stand up, ‘It’s really not that b-, oh, wait... Yeah, I taste blood, maybe a paper towel isn’t such a bad idea after all.’    

‘I don’t know what I was thinking,’ Steve said apologetically as he handed Tony a towel. ‘Are you alright?’    

‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ Tony sighed as he held the towel against his nose. ‘So, what were you aiming for? Besides my nose?’    

Steve chuckled awkwardly. ‘Yeah, well, my intention was to aim for your lips, but maybe next time I should keep my eyes open so I can actually _aim_ ,’ he added, shaking his head. ‘I’m really bad at this, aren’t I?’    

‘Hopeless,’ the playboy said as he laughed, wiping the blood from his nose. ‘But I guess you’re never too old to learn, not even you.’    

‘Really?’ Steve asked with a smile, hesitating about his next move. ‘So, how... What do I do?’    

At that moment, Tony just smiled. ‘Come on, Cap, I’m sure you’ve kissed before, right?’    

‘I have,’ Steve admitted, ‘but Peggy was a woman, and you’re a man. Surely, there must be some difference?’    

‘... So... What? You want me to wear lipstick? Would that help you?’ he asked with a chuckle, raising a cocky brow, ‘‘cause I would kill that red-lips forties look, I'm telling you.’    

Steve laughed as he envisioned this. ‘You would look rather dashing,’ he then managed to say, ‘but I don’t think that’s necessary. I just, I don’t know, should I just kiss you the same way I would kiss a girl?’     

‘Yes, Steve,’ Tony let out a soft snort, followed by a content sigh. ‘Just, just try again, I'm sure you’ll find a way.’    

‘Alright, I’ll give it my best,’ Steve sighed and he moved a little closer to Tony, looking from the playboy’s eyes to his lips, and he kept doing so as he got closer to him, until their faces nearly met.   

‘For fuck’s sake, Rogers!’ Tony giggled as he leant back against the sofa. ‘Just close your damn eyes already, your making this even more awkward than it already is!’     

Steve started to laugh and let himself fall against the sofa as well. ‘It’s no use, Tony, I’m doomed,’ he said as his muscles started to ache with laughter.     

‘We both are,’ Tony laughed as he placed a hand on his stomach, his voice at least one octave higher as he gasped for air. ‘Look at us, Steve, we’re giggling like two little schoolgirls, this is horrible,’ he managed to utter as he almost slipped off the couch, causing the captain to laugh even louder.    

‘Okay, how about _you_ try it?’ Steve said as he wiped away a tear and his laughter started to fade into a soft giggle. ‘Maybe you can do better.’    

As Tony’s laughter slowly died, he looked at the captain, and, without any warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against those of the blond, their bodies seemingly frozen as soft skin met. Tony kept his eyes closed, a familiar hint of the blond’s natural scent filling his lungs as he slowly inhaled through his nose. The playboy felt his muscles unwinding as he exhaled again, his heart beating completely in sync with the calm ticking of the clock on the wall. When he withdrew, he saw two wide, blue eyes staring at him in a frozen gaze.   

‘Cap...?’ Tony asked with a slightly confused smirk, ‘You okay? Anybody in there?’ he asked as he waved his hand in front of the man’s eyes. ‘Hello?’  

‘Uh, uhm, yeah, sorry,’ Steve uttered stutteringly, blinking his eyes in order to break the spell. ‘That was... something else, I suppose. Alright...’    

‘Are you okay?’ Tony asked again.    

‘Yeah, I’m... fine, actually,’ Steve remarked, seemingly taken aback by his own conclusion. ‘It just... It makes me want to try this again, I guess,’ he chuckled, blushing as he said so.    

After blinking his eyes a couple of times, Tony could not suppress a large smile to form on his face. ‘Really?’ he asked, a little to enthusiastically for his own liking, but he just could not help it. He had seen his friend’s focused and concentrated side many times on the battlefield, he had seen the man’s confidence, his strength and his loyalty, but never had he seen him this insecure and God, Tony just loved it.  

Steve nodded and he hesitantly scooted a bit closer. ‘Yeah, I just, I hope I don’t mess it up this time,’ he smiled slightly as he laid a trembling hand on Tony’s cheek, looking the playboy in the eyes. ‘Okay, first aim, then close your eyes, then just...’ he said, his voice fading as he leant closer, softly allowing his own lips to touch those of his friend, and he could not help but smile broadly as he did so. He slowly moved his fingers, feeling the man’s jawline underneath his fingertips, the carefully trimmed goatee prickling his skin. As their lips softly parted, only to touch again, Steve dared to gradually move his hand slightly down the man’s cheek, his fingers now affectionately massaging the back of Tony’s neck.     

‘On your left!’    

The two suddenly heard a voice coming from behind them. They looked up in alarm, their hearts pounding loudly in their chests as they saw Sam walking by, winged by Rhodes.   

‘You’re getting the hang of it, Captain,’ Rhodey laughed, watching the two on the couch who stared back at them, caught red-handed. ‘Go easy on him, Tony. We need him for tomorrow’s training, alright?’    

‘Oh, it’s just you two,’ Tony managed to remark as sarcastically as possible after he was able to catch his breath. ‘Hey, here’s an idea, how about some privacy, huh?’    

‘If you want privacy, you should get a room,’ Tony heard a woman’s voice reply next to him. He turned, meeting the grey eyes of Natasha.    

‘When did you...?’ The playboy asked as he squinted his eyes, wondering how long the red-head was already sitting next to him.   

‘But seriously guys, took you long enough,’ Natasha continued, ignoring the playboy’s question.   

‘Wait, you knew about this?’ Steve asked as he looked up at his friends in surprise.   

‘Everyone did,’ Sam nodded with a smirk, earning himself a nudge from Rhodes.     

Tony and Steve looked at their friends in astonishment and then turned to Nat again. 'You mean that _everybody,_ literally _everybody_ , knew?’ Steve asked confused. ‘ _I_ didn’t even know until a few days ago!’    

‘Oh, that’s okay, Steve,’ Sam laughed. ‘Old people tend to get a little slow.’     

‘Nice, thanks,’ Steve chuckled. ‘Well, next time give grandpa a heads-up, okay?’ which caused the other Avengers to laugh. ‘Alright, maybe I should just pay more attention next time,’ the blond admitted, looking over at Tony, passing his friend a smile as he laid his hand on that of the playboy.   

‘You really should, Rogers,’ Tony chuckled, wondering why he could not stop smiling as he held on to the captain’s warm hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for today,
> 
> Hope this chapter helped to sooth the heartache we have been suffering... 
> 
> Next chapter will be all about Frost-Spider again. Hope to see you in two days!


	12. Come what May

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dearest readers, writers and, above all, fellow Marvel fans,
> 
> I am almost certain that everyone of you has heard or read about the devastating news. If not, than I am sorry to be the one to break it to you.   
> On 11-12-2018 Stanley Martin Lieber has passed away due to (as far as I know) unknown reasons.
> 
> I think I can speak for all when I say that this news comes as a big shock. The man died at the age of 95. Surely we all know death comes knocking on our door at some point, yet it does not take away the sadness...
> 
> We truly hope that this chapter will help you find some comfort or at least some distraction. 
> 
> We hope you will still enjoy,   
> With kind regards.

 

‘Lokes?’ Peter asked softly as he knocked on the trickster’s chamber door, nerves running through his body. This was it; he would tell the god how he felt. That he wants to spend all his time with him, that he wants to be with him, that he… that he _loves_ him. ‘You up yet?’ Expecting for the raven god to answer, Peter almost jumped as the door opened and he stood face to face with the god of thunder, or at least, face to chest, for the blond was so much taller than he was. ‘Uh, good morning, Mr. Odinson, sir,’ Peter said awkwardly. ‘Is-uhm, is Loki up yet?’  

‘Good morning, Peter,’ Thor said in slight surprise as he quickly took a step out of his brother’s room, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. ‘I am afraid my brother is still in a deep slumber. It took him quite some time to fall asleep last night, so it might take a while for him to wake up.’ 

'Oh, that’s okay, I actually wanted to talk to you as well. If you’ve got the time, of course.’  

‘Uhm, yes, certainly,’ Thor nodded. ‘If you would only allow me to change clothes first,’ he added as he looked at the sweatpants he was wearing.  

‘Sure, yeah, of course, I’ll just wait here,’ Peter said happily, though his nerves must have been shining through, Thor raising a brow before heading inside again.  

After a few minutes, the god came back. ‘I do not know if this is a private matter, but if so, we might better discuss it in the gardens, knowing that everyone will be up and enjoying their breakfast by now.’  

‘Yeah, that would be best,’ Peter agreed, leading the way.  

‘I must say, you rather surprised me with your visit, Peter,’ The blond said as the two of them now strolled through the green gardens.  

‘Hm? Oh, really? I don’t know, I was actually pretty surprised when you opened the door instead of Lokes,’ Peter chuckled, looking up at the man again. ‘But that’s okay, you know, I just... There is just something I want to say to you before I tell Loki.’  

Thor looked at the teen from an angled view. ‘And what would that be?’ he asked, his voice already a little less merrily than it was before.  

‘Okay, so...’ Peter started, his nerves confusing him. ‘You know Lokes and I have been hanging out a lot lately. Well, Meya and I, but Loki and I too, they’re the same, but not really, never mind that,’ Peter rambled.  

‘It has come to my attention, yes.’  

‘Alright,’ Peter sighed in relief. ‘So, I have been thinking about all of this and I... I really think... Okay, what I really want to say, is...’ Peter sighed as he tried to find the words, his nerves now officially getting the better of him. ‘Damn it! Okay, just say it, Parker, you can do it. If you can’t tell Thor, then how will you ever tell Lokes.’ He mumbled to himself, earning him a suspicious look from the god of thunder. ‘Okay, I think I love your brother. There, I said it!’ As he said this, he stopped walking and looked at Thor.  

‘You... have come to love my _brother_?’ Thor asked surprised, his brows furrowed. ‘Are you not mistaken this with your infatuation for Meya?’   

‘No, this is not about Meya...’ Peter said hesitantly at first, but he then planted his feet firmly on the ground and looked up at the god. ‘It’s Loki. I love _him_.’  

Thor then turned around, his sharp blue eyes meeting those of Peter as he took a step towards the teen. ‘Listen carefully, son of Parker,’ he said with a darkened expression, his voice low, ‘My brother’s feelings are not to be trifled with. He has been through a lot, more than you and I could ever imagine, and I will be damned if I let anyone ever hurt him again, be it physically or emotionally,’ the towering man now stood closer to Peter.  

Taken aback by the words of the god, Peter stared at him in amazement, but then found his tongue again. ‘I, I don't mean to hurt him, Thor.’  

The god stared at him for a moment, looking the teen up and down with a keen eye. ‘“I _care_ for you”,’ he finally quoted sternly, ‘Were those not the exact words you told my brother?’  

'A-and I do,’ Peter said, not understanding Thor’s sudden hostility towards himself. ‘I care for him, but I can also say now, a-and I know it took me a while to figure this out, that I _love_ him, too.’  

Thor looked at Peter, thinking back to the conversation he and his younger brother had the night before. How Loki had tried to fall asleep in his arms, how his silent tears just did not seem to end. As he let the memories play inside his mind, he sighed and shook his head. If Loki would react like this just because they could not be together, how torn would his brother be if the two would be in a relationship and Peter would come to pass. ‘I do not deem it wise for you to be with my brother,’ he finally said sternly, wanting to continue their walk.  

‘…What?’ Peter asked confused. ‘W-wait! Why? W-why not?' 

‘Have you ever come to stop and think about what a relationship between the two of you would mean to my brother?’ Thor asked as he turned around. ‘Peter, you are a great warrior, but an ignorant one as well.’  

‘I... I don’t think I understand what you mean... Loki is a warrior too, isn’t he? W-what’s your point?'  

‘You are of Midgard, a mortal. Your life span is about eighty years, hundred at best. Have you ever come to think of that?’ 

‘You mean I’ll die before he will,’ Peter stated coldly, his heart sinking in his chest for a moment. ’Is that it…?'  

‘Leaving my brother to morn your death for the rest of his life,’ Thor added with a confirming nod. ‘I will not let him suffer such fate.’ 

‘So… should everyone just refrain from any relationships because they might end someday? I mean, maybe I die tomorrow, perhaps in eighty years. I can’t see into the future, Thor, and neither can you. Are we just supposed to live our lives alone because we know that they will end someday?’ Peter spoke desperately, his uneven breathing disrupting some of his words. 

‘I am not stating that the two of you should live lonesome lives, I am merely _advising_ you to search for love with someone from your own realm.’   

‘But don’t you see?!’ Peter sighed in desperation. ‘If I tell you that I love Loki, I mean that I love for him _here and now_ , but I don’t know what will happen in the future! I could find some nice girl or guy from Midgard and hope to live happily ever after for eighty years with them, but that does not mean it will actually happen, Thor. I-I mean, what if Loki finds a nice Midgardian to spend the rest of his life with, but that person dies a young age because… because he or she gets sick?! One never knows what will happen. That’s just not how life works.’  

Taken aback by the teen’s determined words, Thor slightly leaned back and he remained quiet for a moment. ‘So, you are absolutely certain that you are willing to pay the cost of your love?’ 

‘I’m willing to take that risk, yes,’ Peter said sternly, looking the towering god of thunder in the eye. 

The blond stared at the ground for a moment as he let out a deep sigh. He then looked at Peter, a slight smile on his face. ‘Then I do not believe I have anything left to say,’ he nodded. ‘I might not be able to speak on my brother’s behalf, but know that I welcome you into the family of Odin, Peter.’  

‘Really...?’ Peter asked aghast as he looked up to the god. As the full impact of the words suddenly hit him, a bright smile became visible on his face. ‘Thanks, Thor. That really, _really_ means a lot to me.’  

‘I am glad we talked, Man of Spiders,’ Thor smiled as he patted the teen on the shoulder. ‘Let’s see how my brother is doing. I am certain he will be glad to hear such news from you.’  

‘Yeah, I wonder if he’s up already,’ Peter nodded as he happily followed Thor back to Stark Tower, ‘Say, Thor, uhm, can I, maybe, ask you one more thing?’  

‘Of course!’ Thor answered with a smile. 

‘Could you maybe tell me what a Jötunn is?’ 

‘A Jötunn?’ the god asked, raising a brow in surprise. ‘Well, that would be a Frost Giant, an inhabitant of Jotunheim. Foul creatures, they are. Very easily offended and always searching for reasons to fight, you would be wise to keep your distance from them, Peter,’ Thor warned the teen. ‘Might I ask you where this sudden curiosity is coming from?’  

‘Well, when Loki and I were on Asgard, we ran into your friends, the Warriors Three, and, well... Loki and Fandral got into some sort of argument and-’  

‘You met my friends?’ Thor asked enthusiastically. ‘Quite the astonishing lot, would you not agree?’ Then his expression became more clouded. ‘Wait, an argument? About what?’  

‘Yes, well, you see, they were talking about this girl, Asta, and Fandral said some things Loki couldn’t really... appreciate... Anyway, Loki got really angry and-’  

‘Ah, well, Fandral is a ladies-man,’ Thor shrugged as he interrupted the teen yet again, ‘I believe he actually tried to gain Lady Asta’s favor once. Was that what they argued about? Because that was a long time ago and Fandral can talk all he wants, but we all know nothing happened.’  

‘Loki got really angry and suddenly his eyes turned red and his skin turned blue!’ Peter half shouted as he felt like the god would not let him finish his story otherwise. He then looked at Thor as he calmed down. ‘And his skin was… was freezing...’ he added as he looked at his hands. The freezing pain crawling back into his fingers at the mere memory of him trying to stop the prince of Asgard from fighting with a warrior. 

‘…I see.’ Thor said disapprovingly, suddenly realizing how ill he just spoke of the creatures of which his own brother was one. ‘The two never got along too well, even when we were children, but this seems more serious than a petty quarrel. I will discuss it with Loki right away.’ But as he looked at Peter, he smiled again. ‘Well, maybe you should talk to him first.’  

‘Would I... would I hurt his feelings if I ask him about it...?’ Peter asked softly. ‘I mean, when I asked Loki what was happening to him, Fandral said something like “you now see him for what he really is, a Jötunn,”’ Peter quoted, trying to imitate the blond’s voice the best he could, followed by a sigh, ‘and that really seemed to hurt Lokes...’ 

‘I believe Loki has made peace with his origins,’ Thor sighed. ‘There is a time for everything, Peter, I believe there will be a moment to ask him about it. You will know when it comes. But I now have a question for you as well,’ Thor continued gravely.  

The teen looked at the god with questioning eyes, wondering what he could possibly know about Loki that Thor did not. ‘What is it?’   

‘Do you possess any knowledge about a mark or scar on Loki’s back?’  

'A mark?’ Peter frowned, staring in front of him as he thought this through. ‘Uhm, no, no I don’t think so, why?’  

‘I only noticed it yesterday as I tried to undress my brother for his bath,’ Thor said sternly, but as he saw Peter’s eyes stare at him in confusion, he cleared his throat. ‘That is what brothers do if that is necessary,’ the god stated with a warning look that told the teen not to venture any further on the subject. ‘Be that as it may, I noticed a mark on Loki’s back, on his right shoulder blade. I wondered whether he had a tattoo, but it rather looked like some sort of scar, except for some seemingly perfect geometrical forms. Do you have any idea where he got that?’  

Peter remained silent for a moment, but eventually shook his head, ‘I don’t know, sorry. I mean, I can’t remember seeing it on Meya when she sat on my bed, or-’ At that moment, he quickly looked at Thor, a vivid blush on his cheeks, ‘S-she was just asking for a shirt to sleep in! I swear! I didn’t touch her, him...! N-nothing happened!’  

‘It is quite alright, Man of Spiders,’ Thor laughed, ‘Thank you for this information. Perhaps I will ask my brother about his scar, someday, but my mentioning of it seemed to upset him greatly, so I shall not venture to ask anytime soon.’  

‘Are you worried about it?’ Peter asked as he saw the god’s still slightly clouded face. ‘You think it’s something serious?’  

‘I am worried about his reaction,’ Thor admitted, but as he saw Peter’s worried eyes on him, he shook his head and smiled. ’Do not worry, Peter, I am sure Loki will explain it one day. Now, we must bring him your happy news.’  

‘Yeah,’ Peter nodded as he couldn’t suppress a chuckle, the god’s remark making it sound like he was going to tell the trickster he was pregnant.   

‘Off we go then! Let us wake our heavy sleeper,’ Thor said enthusiastically, already leading the way to Stark Tower in big steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, to honor the man himself, we thought it would be appropriate to give you some of the facts about this artist.   
> Hope you will enjoy reading them.
> 
> Stanley Martin Lieber - Stan Lee
> 
> Early Life and Career  
> Stanley Martin Lieber was born on December 28, 1922, in New York City to Romanian immigrants Celia and Jack Lieber. With part of his childhood spent during the Great Depression, Lieber and his younger brother, Larry, watched his parents struggle to make ends meet for the family.  
> Lieber, who later shortened his name to "Lee" as a writer, went on to be hired as an office assistant at Timely Comics in 1939 and became an interim editor for the company in the early 1940s. A week into his job at Timely Comics, Lee got the opportunity to write a two-page Captain America comic. He wrote it under the pen name Stan Lee (now his legal name) and titled it Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge. His first full comic script would come in Captain America Issue 5, published August 1, 1941.Lee also served domestically in the Army during World War II, working as a writer and illustrator.
> 
> He created the “Marvel method”  
> Stan Lee was the first to use what is now known as the “Marvel Method” in creating his comics. Instead of scripting an entire book before it was illustrated, Lee would explain to an artist what was going to take place in each issue and fill in the dialogue afterward.
> 
> He tried to find real life superheroes  
> In a documentary television series called Stan Lee’s Superhumans, the Marvel creator and host Daniel Browning Smith travel the world searching for people with extraordinary abilities.
> 
> Spread the love  
> Lee has received a ton of acclaim as THE creator in his time in the comic book industry, but he rarely spreads any of that around. While Lee was definitely a part of the creation of many famous characters he wasn’t the sole creator of any of them. He’s oddly reluctant to give credit to any of the others that he worked with on characters like Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Thor, etc. According to veteran comics writer Gerry Conway, “Stan’s gotten far too much credit. People have said Stan was out for No. 1, and to a very large degree, that’s true. He’s a good guy. He’s just not a great guy.”
> 
>  
> 
> *  
> Stanley Martin Lieber – Stan Lee.  
> 15-28-1922 – 11-12-2018  
> *


	13. Goodbye, my Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back,
> 
> So, has everyone recovered from the shock? Hope so!
> 
> Here's the new chapter, hope you guys will like it :)

 

Peter followed Thor towards the large Tower, a smile on his face as he spotted Loki in the kitchen through a window, talking to the Winter Soldier.   

‘You look horrible,’ Bucky stated as he looked at the raven god. ‘Rough night?’   

The trickster was already preparing a witty remark, but as he saw the worried eyes of his friend on him, he just sighed. ‘Yes. Quite.’  

‘... Here, maybe this will help,’ Bucky then handed Loki a mug of hot coffee, making a new one for himself now that Steve had taught him how the damn machine works.   

‘Thank you, it actually might,’ Loki said with a gentle smile as the aromatic scent hit his nostrils. ‘I hope your night was better?’ 

‘Not really.’   

They now stood next to each other, leaning against the kitchen counter while staring at the opposite wall for a moment, simultaneously taking a sip of their coffee. The raven raised an eyebrow, prompting the soldier to continue. 

Bucky glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye and sighed, ‘Nightmares, just... soldier stuff, I guess.’ He raised his mechanical arm, a scoffing smile on his face. ‘Or, Hydra stuff.’  

‘Not only soldiers have nightmares,’ Loki said with a slight smile, ‘I might have had a few of my own if I actually found a way to sleep.’  

Bucky raised a brow, ‘Explain.’  

‘Mortals, gods, different lifespan, gods’ stuff,’ the raven said with a bitter smile, finishing his coffee.  

‘You mean the kid, huh?’ 

‘Who else?’ the trickster sighed. ‘I would choose the nightmares over staying awake thinking of impossibilities.’  

Bucky glared at Loki for a second with squinted eyes. ‘Careful what you wish for, trickster.’ 

‘Yes, you may be right, Winter,’ Loki sighed, casting an apologetic smile to his friend. ‘Besides, it is too early to talk about such heavy subjects. Do you have any plans for today?’  

‘... Can I ask you something? ‘Bout Parker.’ Bucky looked Loki in the eye, not intending to let the subject change so easily.  

‘Yes, by all means,’ the raven said with a shrug, though he scanned the room to make sure they were alone.  

‘This might sound a little... insensitive, but I had been wondering for a while now,’ Bucky took a deep breath and placed his empty mug on the counter. ‘Isn’t Peter a bit of a selfish brat?’  

The trickster looked at the Winter Soldier in complete wonder. ‘Please explain yourself.’  

‘Well... first there was prom, you didn’t want to go, but you did it anyway. Then you wanted to go to Asgard _alone_ , but you took him with you, 'cause he just kept insisting...’  

‘You forgot to mention the pool party,’ Loki chuckled, shaking his head. 

‘Right,’ Bucky nodded. ‘And again, you didn’t want to go, he kept nagging, it turned out as one big drama. And tell me, how did this whole Asgard-thing turn out for you?’   

‘Well, I,’ Loki started hesitantly, trying to analyze the conflicting emotions he had experienced. ‘It was both pleasant and, well, less pleasant, I believe.’ 

‘“Less pleasant?”’ Bucky raised a brow, and then smirked, ‘Please explain yourself. Did you run into your dad? I know you were planning to avoid him, you told me so yourself.’   

‘Yes, I did...’ Loki said, reluctant to explain the situation, but doing so anyway. ‘My father found me threatening Fandral, although I found it was more of an argument.’  

Bucky listened carefully to the trickster’s story. A smile formed on the god’s face as he told him how he had bought Peter an Asgardian tunic and how he had introduced him to his friends. His smile then faded as he told him about the Grandmaster, about how Peter had set him up on a date with his best friend and how they were taken on a tour by the Warriors Three, which ended up in yet another fight and awkward family moment with the Allfather. He told him everything, except, of course, how Fandral had managed to get under his skin and make him lose control over his Seiðr, turning him into the very creature he so desperately tries to hide.  

The Winter Soldier listened patiently until the raven was done speaking. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, then looked at him with sharp eyes. ‘Listen, trickster, you’re a smart guy, I know you are. So, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that it sounds like all of this shit could have been easily avoided if Peter would have listened to you, just once. Or rather, if he wouldn’t have constantly insisted on doing the exact things you told him you didn’t want to do.’  

Loki stared at the soldier and although he wanted to argue against this, he knew in his heart that his friend was right, so he kept silent and nodded. 

‘... Listen, I’m sorry if I sounded too harsh or anything, it’s just... I hate it when people just keep whining and nagging until they get what they want and that’s exactly what Peter does... and he just keeps getting away with it! I mean with you, Stark, Steve... I know he’s a good kid at heart. It’s not that I don’t like him, it’s just,’ Bucky then remained silent for a moment after which he rubbed the back of his neck, ‘Yeah, maybe that’s just it. I don’t really like him.’  

‘Maybe you should be the boy’s father figure, he might actually listen to you,’ Loki said with a smirk in an attempt to lighten the mood, but the soldier did not seem willing to let go of the subject this easily. ‘…Really, I think you might have a point. No one ever seems to, how do I put this, _correct_ Peter. I have heard him tell stories about his Aunt May and, well, maybe we should bring her to Stark Tower. She seems like a stern but pleasant lady.’  

‘ _Or_ you guys could just man up and say “no” to the kid.’ Bucky could not help but let out a snort, ‘This is just pathetic, there’s like, what, twenty superheroes in one building? Yet we need his aunt to raise the brat.’   

‘This woman must be a superhero as well, if she can actually accomplish what twenty heroes together cannot,’ Loki chuckled, ‘Maybe we should put her in charge of the Avengers.’ 

‘Yeah, you go try and tell that to Steve,’ Bucky laughed somewhat and shook his head, ‘Seriously though... You and Peter, do you think he loves you or, no, let me rephrase that, do you love him?’  

At this, Loki looked at the Winter Soldier for a while, before he stared out of the window and shrugged. ‘I cannot make any sense of his feelings, Barnes, but mine are quite clear to me. Yes, I do love him. However, it matters not. Peter does not favor men and even if he did, well, it would not be very wise of me to start a relationship with a Midgardian, so I am not going to.’ He nodded slowly as he took his brother’s words by heart, he then looked at his friend again, ‘Could you help me with this matter? Your list of character flaws was rather impressive.’  

Bucky stared at Loki for a moment, blinking his eyes. He then smiled, ‘Sorry, that was all I got on him.’ He then looked outside and tilted his head, ‘Ain’t that your brother?’  

The trickster followed the soldier’s gaze and he knitted his brow. ‘Yes, and it seems like he has been talking to Peter. If my brother looks _that_ happy, I am sure that he has convinced Peter we better stop this... fling, before any of us get hurt.’  

‘Little late for that, don’t you think?’ Bucky smirked, followed by a caring smile. ‘You don’t have to listen to me Loki, or to Thor or anyone else. Just do whatever _you_ think is best, okay? If you wanna be together with that kid, well, I’d fully support it.’  

‘Yes, well, I do not trust my own judgement at this moment, so I will settle for my brother’s and yours, Winter,’ Loki said with a smirk.  

‘Hey, Lokes!’ Peter greeted him enthusiastically as he walked into the building, ‘Mister Barnes.’ 

‘Kid,’ Bucky greeted him back with a nod of his head.  

The trickster looked up slightly startled and he seemed to grow even more alarmed as he noticed that Peter was walking right next to his older brother. ‘Good morning, Peter,’ Loki said reluctantly.  

‘I believe you two have talking to do,’ Thor said with a bright smile, ‘The Soldier of Winters and I shall leave you two alone,’ he continued as he, much to the raven’s surprise, casually started to push Barnes out of the kitchen. Bucky wanted to refuse but looked at Loki first, and since he got no reply from the trickster whatsoever, he just walked back to his own room. 

‘So,’ Peter started as it was now just the two of them, holding his hands tightly clasped behind his back to keep his fingers from fumbling, ‘Uhm, did you sleep well?’   

‘I have had better nights,’ Loki admitted, not wishing to worry Peter or give a sign of the emotions that got a hold of him last night.  

‘Ah,’ the teen nodded nervously, rocking back and forth a little on his feet as he tried to force himself to say the words, ‘Yeah, I was K.O within a second. Twister, huh? What a game!’ he laughed, louder than he wanted to, ‘Hey, maybe we should let Clint and Tony play next t-’  

‘Peter, is there anything you wish to tell me? Because I am quite busy at the moment,’ the trickster suddenly said in a cold tone. Distance. Just as his brother had advised him, he had to create distance. For his own good, for the both of them. 

Peter eyes shot wide open as he blinked, the cold words from the trickster taking him by surprise. He then swallowed thickly and nodded, ‘Yes, uhm, sorry... So, I was wondering, if we, maybe, could take a walk outside?’ he carefully suggested, ‘I mean, the weather’s great and there’s something I would like to discuss, so...’ Peter tried to keep his nerves under control, though he could not prevent a nervous smile from forming on his face.   

Loki hesitated and sighed softly. The complete insecurity of not knowing how to react or what to do pushed him straight back into his old but foul habit of lying. ‘My apologies, Peter, but I am afraid I must decline,’ the raven spoke firmly, his voice sounding completely indifferent. He picked each and every word with extreme precision to enhance the distance between them, talking to Peter as if he were nothing more than an acquaintance. His eyes matching with the coldness of his words. ‘I would rather dedicate my time to mastering my Seiðr. Now, if that would be all,’ he added with a nod, but as his weary eyes looked at the aghast teen, he could not help but sigh, ‘However, if there is anything you would wish to ask of me...’  

‘W-well...!’ Peter started nervously, not knowing exactly how to respond to this. Was it something he said? Something he had done? He wanted to ask Loki, but his courage failed him as impassive green eyes kept peering at him and he shook his head, ‘N-no, I’m okay, we’ll talk later...’ 

‘As you please,’ Loki said emotionlessly. He cursed himself as he noticed how each of his words seemed to hurt his dearest friend but nonetheless, he kept an indifferent appearance. ‘Until we meet again.’ Before Peter could respond, he hastily made his way upstairs to his room, locking the door behind him.  

Peter watched the god disappear up the stairs, his eyes following him until he was completely out of sight. ‘...Fuck!’ he cursed loudly as he kicked against one of the chairs with all his might, causing it to fly through the room.  

‘Watch your language, young man,’ the Captain’s voice sounded from the place outside of the kitchen.  

‘Sorry,’ Peter mumbled, picking up the chair with a deep sigh. 

 

*****

 

As he finally found himself alone again, Loki paced back and forth through his room. ‘Norns, what have I gotten myself into?’ he asked desperately, the words his brother told him last night still ringing in his head. ‘If I stay close to him, I hurt _myself_ , if I try to create distance I hurt _him_... How does one just end this without ending all contact?!’ he sighed in frustration. ‘A fine mess you have gotten yourself into…’ he muttered to himself, letting himself slide onto the floor with his back against the wall.    

After some time had come to pass, he suddenly looked up. ‘I just have to tell him this… friendship, will never work,’ the trickster spoke determinedly. ‘Just... just end all contact, that will probably be the best, for both of us,’ he tried to convince himself and he slowly nodded. As he now heard footsteps and some humming in the hallway, he got up and reached the door with long strides.    

‘Peter?’ he asked hopefully as he opened the door.    

‘ _IF YOU LIKE MAKING LOVE AT MIDNIGHT!_ ’ Quill shouted, causing the god to jump back in surprise, which at least made Starlord notice he was there. ‘OH, HEY, TRICKSTER!’ he shouted, only now taking off his headphones, his voice changing back to a normal volume, ‘You okay? Haven’t seen you all day,’ he remarked as he noticed the god’s weary appearance, the Piña Colada song still boomed through his headphones.    

‘I, I was looking for Peter,’ Loki said as he caught his breath again.    

‘Found him!’ Quill said with a smirk.   

‘No, the _other_ Peter, you are the wrong Peter,’ Loki chuckled as he tried to make sense of his own words.    

‘Hey, I’m the only right Peter there is,’ Quill laughed.    

Loki chuckled, then he suddenly noticed Quill’s bag and coat. ‘Are you leaving?’ the god asked surprised.     

‘Yeah, going for a little test ride. You can only park a spaceship for so long, you know? We don’t want her to get rusty on us.’ He then looked the trickster up and down, finding him more quiet than usual. ‘Wanna tag along?’ he asked, a scoffing expression on his face, though a hint of hope shone through.    

‘Uh, I, I do not know, uhm, how long will you be gone?’ Loki asked as he remembered his brother’s words to keep his distance from Peter, now realizing that this might actually be a good excuse to leave the Tower for a while.    

‘Don’t know,’ Quill shrugged as casually as he could, ‘I’m just gonna drive around ‘til I’m tired it, then I’ll just return here. I could use some company though,’ he said hopefully and he scoffed, ‘My crew is too busy exploring New York. Like, have they never been to Terra before?’    

‘Yes, well, if one is not used to Midgardians, New York can be quite the interesting place to study them,’ Loki nodded softly. ‘Now that I think of it, I could use some time and distance,’ he added with a more confident smile. ‘I will take your offer, now tell me, what do I need?’    

‘Not much, I got drinks and snacks, so bring whatever you think you need besides that,’ Quill chuckled, gesturing to the grocery bag at his feet, hardly able to suppress a victorious smile.     

‘Let me get my coat,’ Loki said, now grateful for the Starlord’s sudden appearance, even though he had nearly startled him to death with his singing.   

After waiting for the raven to grab his coat, Quill and Loki got on the spaceship, the trickster admiring the mess he found inside, while the Starlord prepared for take-off.    

‘So… you spend most of your days in this vessel?’ Loki asked as he looked at the half-eaten chocolate bars and food wrappers on the floor. ‘All of you?’    

‘Yep!’ Quill smiled as he turned around, ‘Oh! Don’t touch the chocolate, Gamora will kill you!’ He then thought of something and smiled, ‘You know what, maybe you _should_ touch it! That way, I can blame _you_ for eating it,’ he laughed.    

‘I am not tempted to eat food from the floor, thank you,’ Loki kindly declined the offer as he took a seat next to Quill and strapped himself in. ‘Do you need me to do anything?’    

‘Nope, just enjoy the ride,’ Quill nodded, his hands on the controls as they took off, watching how the Stark Tower slowly turned into a little speck as the spaceship accelerated and shot them into space.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starlord's back in business, guys!  
> What kind of adventures will our dearest Guardian and Trickster encounter in space? Will they be gone for long? Will they soon return?  
> And what about Peter, will he follow him?? 
> 
> Find out in two days when we will continue! :D
> 
> p.s! For all of you who are following Little Loki's Big Adventure, a new chapter will be up tomorrow! So hang in there guys! :D


	14. A Trial of Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, welcome back!  
> so first of all, sorry about the last chapter ^^' Don't worry! Peter and Loki will get together!!  
> (little hint, it will happen in chapter 21)
> 
> So until then, we truly hope you will still enjoy these upcoming chapters!  
> Thank you all for sticking with this story for so long! You guys are just so awesome!

‘Lokes?’ Peter asked hesitantly as he stood in front of the trickster’s door. ‘Lokes, please, we need to talk.’ Still no answer came from the room and Peter sighed as he tried to open the door, finding it unlocked. Cautiously he stepped inside, now noticing how it was completely deserted. ‘Lokes? You here?' he tried nonetheless, but it was in vain.    

The teen stepped further into the god’s room, looking at all the neatly stacked books which stood proudly on some shelves. His eyes were then caught by the raven’s original royal battle tunic, which was carefully displayed on an iron mannequin-frame. Peter cautiously took hold of the golden helmet, studying it with a melancholic smile. ‘Come on, Lokes...’ he whispered, watching his own desperate expression in the reflection of the headpiece, ‘Where are you...’ After letting out a deep sigh, he placed the helmet back, walking out of the trickster’s room and closing the door behind him.     

He searched through the entire Tower, from the kitchen to the training grounds, the lounge, the bar, he even tried knocking on Bucky’s door to ask if the raven was with him, noticing how the two have become better friends over these passing months, but no one had seen him.    

Suddenly, the sound of blazing engines hit him from the roof, and instinctively he ran up the stairs to where the noise came from. He threw the door open which lead to the roof, staring at The Milano as it took flight and within a minute vanished into the atmosphere. Peter then heard some muttering and as he looked aside he found Tony, fiddling with some machinery and tools.     

‘What are you doing?’ Peter asked, a little confused, but his mentor did not reply.    

‘Tony?’ He tried again, but the man still didn’t look up.   

‘TONY!’    

‘Hm?’ the playboy said as he took out one of his earplugs, smiling at the teen. ‘Hey, Peter, what are you doing up here?’    

‘I was looking for Lokes. Do you know where he is?’    

‘Sure, he just took off for some space ride with Quill,’ Tony said and he signaled to the spot in the sky where the ship had disappeared. His face then became a little surprised. ‘He didn’t tell you?’   

Peter shook his head and sighed as he sat down, trying to block some memories from the last time he found himself on a roof.     

Tony put down his tools and wiped the sweat of his forehead. ‘You, uhm, you okay?’ he asked as he sat down next to the teen, suddenly becoming more serious. ‘Something happened between you and Lokes?’     

‘I don’t know,’ Peter said, staring ahead. ‘I, I think I screwed up, something went wrong, I think, I don’t know what though, but he was acting so strange, I feel like he’s trying to avoid me or something...’   

‘Ha! Well, looks like those girl hormones are still in his system, huh?’ Tony said with a scoffing chuckle in a brave attempt to make the teen laugh. ‘You know, ‘cause women usually give you the silent treatment when they’re angry.’   

Peter looked up at his tutor and could not help but smile a little as he shook his head. ‘I guess. I just thought we were, you know, doing pretty good, and I was going to tell him that...’ Here he stopped and he looked at Tony, after which he just smiled and shook his head. ‘Never mind.’    

‘No, tell me, it’s okay. What were you going to say to him?’ Tony asked, sitting down next to the teen and casting him an encouraging smile.  

‘Well, I, I just...’ Peter stared at his tutor for a moment, after which he took a deep breath. ‘Okay, I’ll tell you, but you can’t get mad at me okay? Or at Lokes.’  

‘Sure thing, kid, I’ll try to keep my cool,’ Tony replied with a smirk.  

‘Okay,’ Peter nodded, taking deep breaths to try and steady his body which was shaking with nerves. He forced himself to look at the playboy as he uttered the words. ‘I... IloveLoki...’ the last syllables coming out as one soft murmur.   

‘... What?’ his tutor eventually asked, staring at his pupil for a while, surely he must have heard wrong. ‘Repeat that for me, will you?’  

‘I, I,’ Peter gulped and remained silent for a confusing moment. He then spoke up as he finally found the courage, ‘I love Loki.’  

‘…Ooo-kay…? And, you’re sure of that?’ his mentor asked hesitantly. He then suddenly stared deep into the teen’s eyes, both relieved and surprised to find them in a deep shade of amber instead of bright blue. 

‘Yeah, yeah, I know,’ Peter sighed and he crossed his arms agitatedly. ‘I got a whole lecture from Thor about, about, being the first to die and how Lokes will be left to _mourn my death_ and what not, so tell me, what do _you_ have to add to that?’  

‘Uh, well,’ Tony started as he tried to process what the teen had just said, ‘For starters… The guy is at least trice your age. Hell, he’s even four times my age, at least. Isn’t he a-uhm… a bit too old for you?’  

‘For starters? Really? Well, he is only seventeen in human years, okay?’ but as Tony raised a brow, Peter continued. ‘Okay, so he’s over a thousand years old, but it’s not showing now, is it?’ Peter asked desperately. ‘I mean, he hasn’t got those, well, wrinkles, you know? Like you have when you frown, or laugh... or stare at me like you do now? Also, isn’t Steve about trice your age as well?’ The teen remained silent for a moment and then looked at Tony in astonishment, ‘No, wait, he’s also somewhere in his thirties, right? So, what does that make you?’   

‘Okay, drop the age-thing, kid, it’s working against you, or it will,’ Tony said, not knowing whether to laugh or correct the kid, ‘So, age is a bit of a relative construct with Avengers, fine, but what about his past? I mean, I’m glad he’s part of the team and all, but he’s still the guy that tried to invade Earth. Do you have any idea how much blood there is on his hands?’  

‘Yeah, I know but... have you ever tried asking him about the invasion? Has anyone ever? I mean, what if he didn’t mean to, or, I don’t know... just had a bad day?’ 

‘He didn’t _mean_ to invade a planet? He just had a _bad day_ and thought “Oh, boy, let’s invade a planet and murder hundreds, capital idea!”’ Tony asked highly sarcastically, crossing his arms. ‘Come on, Pete, I know where you’re going with this, but... I’m not convinced.’ As the teen looked at his mentor with a serious face, Tony sighed and shook his head. ‘You’re a smart kid, Pete, I just want to make sure you use that brain and think this through before doing anything that you’ll come to regret, okay?’  

‘Well... I do not regret my question,’ the teen continued determinedly. ‘Has any of you ever tried to talk with Lokes about the whole invasion thing?’  

‘Well-’  

‘Shouting at him about it doesn’t count,’ Peter reminded him quickly, causing the playboy to sigh.  

‘Maybe not with so many words, but we did talk about it and he never gave a real explanation. It just happened, and he regrets it, that was all he had to say. He didn’t really try to prove his innocence or anything and hardly talked about it… He’s keeping secrets from us, Peter, and believe me, I would have been okay with that if it didn’t concern the total submission of our _entire freaking planet_. I just don’t trust him. I mean, if it wasn’t for Thor pleading for him, I would never let him on the team in the first place.’ 

Peter sighed in frustration, ‘He’s not all that easy to talk with, I know…’ he muttered, now playing a little with his shoelace. ‘Tony, I, I know Lokes isn’t really the role model super hero, but at least he’s trying, right...? I mean, it must be hard to confront a past like that, having _always_ been the bad guy. It’s not as easy as when you’ve been a good guy all your life, surely you must know.’  

‘I know, but,’ Tony looked at Peter for a while, then nodded slowly, a defeated smile appearing on his face. ‘Yeah, a few years ago I wouldn’t have been a good example either, I guess. I still have my flaws, sure, but it’s about trying to make up for them, right? To be better than you were before, for the sake of others.’  

‘Right,’ Peter nodded, ‘I know you will never like Lokes but… This really means a lot to me, Tony, and I, I would hate it if you would be against it. I just want to be with him, I-I don’t even know if he actually wants to be with me…’ A deep sigh followed. ‘So please, could you live with that? Would you be okay with it if me and Lokes would be together…?’ 

‘“Okay” might be a bit of a strong word, but I’m not necessarily _against_ it, I guess. Not if it really means this much to you, anyway...’ Tony thought this through and sighed, laying a hand on the teen’s shoulder, ‘I trust _you_ , okay? Just, trust your judgement and think it over, that’s all I ask. I’m not a huge fan of the guy yet, or the idea of you two together, but hey, I’m just an old man who pays for your suit, right?’  

‘What? No! I-I mean, you’re more to me than that Tony,’ Peter looked at the man with a careful smile. ‘Way more.’  

‘I was being sarcastic, kid, but I’m glad to hear it anyway,’ Tony snorted, amiably ruffling the boy’s hair. Peter laughed, trying to slap the hand away, but Tony already retrieved it and smiled. ‘So, now that we’re on the subject,’ Tony continued, his face growing a little more serious, ‘What is going on between you two at the moment? I mean, he just left and he didn’t tell you. You two got in a fight or something?’  

Peter sighed and thought this through, not knowing what to answer. ‘Tony… How did you tell Steve you liked him?’ He asked after a moment of silence, catching the man off guard.    

‘Uh...’ Tony stammered, but he managed to reply with a shake of his head, ‘I kinda took him on a date without him knowing it... then I blurted out that it was a date...’    

‘Oh, like when I took Lokes to prom? I mean, I didn’t know I liked him and I didn’t tell him, I just kissed him, I guess...’ As he said this the teen turned red and he looked at Tony. ‘It’s different, then, I guess.’    

‘Different but the same,’ the playboy chuckled and then looked up, ‘Wait, how do you know about me and Steve?’    

‘Uhm, well, Steve told me a little about your date,’ Peter rambled awkwardly, not knowing how much he was supposed to give away.     

‘Ah, I see,’ Tony sighed as his face turned a little red. ‘Listen, kid, we all know Loki can be... hard to deal with, right? Maybe something else is bothering him... I mean, try seeing him like an animal,’ Tony looked at Peter, noticing how the teen stared back at him in utter confusion. The playboy quickly cleared his throat and continued, ‘An animal can act differently and can be snappy without telling you why, and you just start wondering what you did wrong until you notice that you forgot to feed it or you forgot to clean the cage or whatnot.’ The playboy then placed a hand on his chin, thinking back to the days when he was a kid himself and Howard thought it was a good idea to give him a hamster. ‘Though usually you’re already too late once you figure that out...’ He then looked at Peter and quickly smiled, ‘Though Lokes isn’t a hamster, I mean, not really, he can talk, right?’     

‘…Right...?’ Peter guessed as he tried to grasp what his mentor was trying to tell him, a confused smile forming on his face for a brief moment as he imagined the trickster as a hamster. ‘So, you mean that something else might be bothering him? That it’s not me?’    

‘Exactly!’ Tony nearly shouted, happy to notice his wise words came through.   

‘You do have a point there,’ Peter said as he thought this through. ‘Lokes tends to shut everyone out when something is bothering him, or he just pretends that everything’s fine… I’ll just wait until he gets back and then we’ll talk. I’ll _make_ him talk, he won’t be getting away this time.’ he chuckled. ‘You don’t know when they’re coming back, do you?’    

‘Nope, no clue, but it can’t take long, right? I don’t think Quill would ever miss a free meal, so I bet they’ll be home before dinner.’    

Peter smiled, ‘Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Tony.’ He then looked at the sky one more time before walking towards the door that led back into the Tower.    

‘Hey!’ Tony shouted at which Peter turned around, almost startled by the sudden cry. ‘Great advice like that doesn’t come for free,’ the playboy said as he stood up and smiled, ‘How about that hug, huh?’     

Peter first stared at the man in bewilderment, but then he smiled and walked into Tony’s welcoming arms.    

‘You’ll be okay kid, don’t stress it,’ Tony wrapped one arm around the teen’s waist, his other hand resting on his head, his fingers amiably tangling in thick brown locks.     

‘Thanks, Tony,’ Peter said with a smile. ‘I’ll just go and ask around a little. Good luck with... whatever you’re doing.’   

‘Uh, yeah, you know what,’ Tony said as he let go of the teen, patting him on the back, ‘You go ahead and get inside, it’s hot out here, don’t want you to get a sun burn.’ Tony laughed as he tried to move the teen towards the door.    

‘Yeah, it’s pretty crazy to be out here in this weather,’ Peter agreed and he looked over Tony’s shoulder, ‘What were you doing anyway?’ Then he noticed a scorched part of the roof that seemed about to collapse and some mechanical parts scattered around it that resembled an Iron Man prototype that had exploded.    

‘Nothing happened, just some maintenance, you know how that stuff goes,’ Tony replied quickly.    

‘Yeah, “just maintenance”,’ Peter chuckled. ‘Just everyday maintenance at the Stark Tower.’  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, instead of three super hero facts, I have a question for you guys. some of you might already know this through my other fic, but I have three ideas for a new fic and I would really appreciate it if you would give me your opinion on them.  
> I have been trying to think of something which I haven't seen/read all that much, so these ships/ideas are not all that common :) (or at least, so I think ^^')
> 
> 1\. After being tasered by Thor right before their escape from Sakaar, Loki is found by the Grandmaster who takes him back in. With his hands now full on Ragnarok and his fellow Avengers, who broke up like the Beatles, Thor decides to send Loki some unexpected help to escape from Sakaar. (a GrandmasterxLoki and LokixQuill story)
> 
> 2\. The Avenger's have broken up and Earth seems to be doing just fine without its super heroes. Tony is managing to get by as long as he can still be with the one person who decided to stay in the Avengers Compound; Steve Rogers. But as the ex-assassin Bucky Barnes comes living with them, a slow and burning jealousy starts to take over Stark's mind and body. (a fic with a very dark Tony Stark)
> 
> 3\. Peter Parker just doesn't understand why the other Avengers could not come to trust Loki. He was a very polite god, a kind person and a strong Avenger, but most of all, he was his boyfriend, secretly of course, but still. Eventually, he decides he has had enough of it and wants to start a life away from his judgmental super hero family. Just him and the trickster. (A fic in which I will ATTEMPT to write a very dark Peter Parker (if that is even possible XD)
> 
> These are all some rough ideas, as you can see. These fics will be a little darker than this one :) Please let me know if you like any of these ideas OR if you have any suggestions! I'm open for everything :)
> 
> Thanks again for still hanging in there! Next chapter will be up in two days! :D


	15. The Divine Duo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU START READING!!
> 
> Hi everyone and welcome back!!
> 
> Okay, first thing first! For this chapter, it is important that you have seen Guardians of the Galaxy 2! If you haven’t, well, I am afraid I will have to ring a huge “SPOILER ALERT” bell! So be warned! Uhm, I guess, if you don’t want any spoilers, you can just press CTRL F on your Key board and type in the * icon! So Again! SPOILER ALERT for those who have NOT seen GOTG2! 
> 
> Now, with that, I would like to cover another point of confusing information!  
> In the MCU, there are 3 ways to refer to people from earth. 1 – Earth, Earthlings. (as called by the inhabitants) 2 – Midgard, Midgardians (as called by the Æsir (Thor, Loki etc.) 3. Terra, Terran. (As called by the rest of the freaking galaxy because why the f*ck not?)  
> So the more you know!
> 
> Also, there will be some galaxy mumbo-jumbo talk between Quill and Loki in this chapter. I just want you to know that I HAVE DONE MY FREAKING RESEARCH ON THE MCU GALAXIES! I might have no idea in real life, but hey! I could navigate us all through mcu space! Hurray, more useless information which I will never use :D Anyway, I just thought you should know!
> 
> SO! So sorry for the long notes, but I thought you guys should know this… Anyway, I truly hope you will enjoy this one!
> 
> See you in two days!

‘And here I was thinking I had trouble with my father,’ Loki sighed as he had breathlessly listened to Quill’s family story.  

 

‘Ah well, we don’t get to pick our dads, right?’ Quill shrugged. ‘But growing up in Asgard sounds pretty tough too,’ he added as he handed Loki a can of beer. ‘I’m just glad I’m not of noble birth, besides being the son of a Celestial, you know.’ He then raised his beer can with a smile, ‘Hey, here’s to shitty fathers and their sons who will grow up to be _way_ better than they’ll ever be!’  

 

The trickster stared at the guardian for a moment but then raised his drink as well, ‘To their sons,’ he laughed as they toasted, both men taking a few gulps of the cold alcoholic beverage, ‘And here’s to our friendship.’ He looked at Quill and smiled. ‘It is a shame though that you have lost your powers the moment you blew up your father.’ The raven took a sip of his drink, hoping to have chosen his words as best as he could. 

 

‘I never knew I had powers in the first place, so there’s not much to miss. But I can still do this!’ the Starlord said as he took his hands off the wheel and pointed them towards one another, some blue sparks shooting between his fingers. 

 

‘It looks like my brother has some competition,’ Loki laughed, tempted to call him “Sparkles”. 

 

‘Damn right. He better watch out! There's a new god of thunder in town!’ Quill laughed along. ‘It’s just a little reminder of who I could have been, I guess, but I see it more as a reminder that I made the right decision, you know?’ 

 

‘Quite,’ Loki nodded in agreement, but his mind started to stray from the conversation, again. 

*****

‘...So, you have a thing for guys named Peter, huh?’ Quill suddenly asked with a smirk. 

 

The trickster looked up with wide eyes, feeling his cheeks slightly color already. ‘I beg your pardon?’ he eventually managed to respond. 

 

‘I know you weren’t looking for me, since you called me the _wrong_ Peter and all, so I just wondered what was going on between the two of you. If you don’t want to talk about it, just say so, but I just wondered why he was the _right_ Peter, you know?’ 

 

‘There is nothing going on between Parker and I,’ Loki stated with as much of a straight face as he could manage, but as Quill kept staring at him with a raised brow, he sighed. ‘Norns, look at me, not even able to lie properly because of some mortal teenager...’ he mumbled slightly annoyed. 

 

‘It’s called Peter Power, my friend,’ Quill smirked, ‘It’s a mysterious and never-failing force that comes with the name.’  

 

‘Ah, so that is what it is, huh? I was already wondering why my heart skips a beat every time I look into those mesmerizing amber eyes of yours,’ Loki smirked as he tried to keep himself from laughing.

 

‘Oh, so _now_ I'm the right Peter, huh?’ Quill laughed. ‘You only say that because you know about my awesome Celestial powers.’ 

 

‘It is true, I have a weakness for those who possess strength,’ Loki chuckled as he shook his head. ‘After all, is power not the ultimate aphrodisiac?’ he continued in a smooth and low voice.  

 

‘Aphro-what?’ Quill asked as he blinked his eyes. ‘English please, Prince Fancy-Pants.’   

 

Loki could not help but laugh out loud as he looked at Quill. ‘You cannot be serious, right? Surely you know what an aphrodisiac is?’ 

 

‘No, really, what does it mean? I’ve never needed that term in my life and I seemed to be doing just fine until now.’  

 

At this, Loki smirked. He set his drink on the table and placed his hands on Quill’s arm, causing the starlord to fall silent. ‘Well, an aphrodisiac would be a food, a drink, or any other substance that would stimulate...’ the god started, his voice soft and soothing. As Quill stared at the trickster in expectation, Loki stopped and looked the guardian in the eye, a sultry smirk forming on his face as he let his fingers seductively trail over Quill’s skin, softly massaging the biceps underneath. The trickster than leaned closer, whispering in a hot voice as his face was now hovering close to that of the starlord’s, their lips almost touching, ‘-sexual desire.’ 

 

Quill stared at Loki with wide eyes, his words having forsaken him. Loki chuckled and casually leaned back in his chair again.

 

‘If I recall correctly, you are rather fond of that,’ the raven let his bright green emeralds fall on the Lord of Stars from the corner of his eyes, ‘at least fond enough to sing of it through the hallways.’ 

 

‘… What?’ Quill asked in confusion, too many questions running through his head, yet at the same time, his mind was completely blank. 

 

‘You know,’ Loki said with a smirk and he continued half-singing, ‘ _If you like making love at midnight_?’ 

 

Starlord then laughed somewhat and nodded. ‘Yeah, that, okay. It’s just a song on my Awesome Mixtape.’ 

 

‘Of course it is,’ the god chuckled as Quill seemed to recover from his little tease, the red color on the man’s cheeks somewhat fading, ‘Anyway, to answer your question, Parker and I are not in a relationship, he does not... favor men,’ he said with a determined nod, making it sound like his words were directed more towards himself.  

 

‘Really?’ Quill asked surprised. 

 

‘Really,’ Loki sighed, sounding more melancholic than he had intended, but less than he felt. 

 

_‘Really_?’ Quill repeated with a smirk, crossing his arms, wondering whether he was being tricked again.  

 

‘Quill, is there something you are trying to imply?’ the trickster asked with an annoyed look. 

 

'No, nothing,’ Quill shrugged with a wide smile, ‘Hey, maybe you’ll have more luck with women?’ 

 

Loki thought back to his encounter with Asta on Asgard and he shook his head. ‘No, I highly doubt that. I believe I would rather stay alone than let myself be consumed by love again. It is rather... inconvenient.’ 

 

‘Well, you never know,’ Quill shrugged and then laughed, ‘Wouldn’t it be really funny though when you finally like a girl and she would turn out to be a lesbian? I mean, that would be about your luck right there, huh?’ 

 

Loki looked at the starlord with a confused expression, but as Quill only started to laugh louder because of Loki’s serious face, the raven lightened up somewhat as he leaned back in his chair. ‘You find humor in this, don’t you?’ 

 

‘You have no idea,’ Quill chuckled, taking another sip from his drink, almost spitting it out again as he thought of something. ‘You know, for a guy whose name is so similar to ‘lucky’, it seems like-’ 

 

‘Do not even dare to make that jest!’ Loki warned the guardian. ‘It is not funny,’ he stated, though he could not hide a smile, especially as the starlord was now wheezing with laughter, trying to argue that it was funny indeed. ‘Thanks a lot, _friend_ ,’ Loki said eventually with a suppressed smile. ‘I feel truly understood and appreciated.’ 

 

‘I’m sorry,’ Quill said eventually as he wiped away a tear, ‘I just can’t believe that you’re getting so gloomy over all this. That “right Peter” definitely likes you, I’m sure of it.’ 

 

‘He tried to set me up with someone else,’ Loki snapped louder than he intended to, causing him to stare outside again. ‘He tried to set me up with a friend of mine and when I told him that I did not want to be with her he just... It almost seemed like he was disappointed...’ He let his head rest on his hand, hoping Quill would drop the issue after this explanation.

 

‘Ouch,’ Quill said with an awkward expression. ‘But, did he set you up, or did she, or he, okay, I need more details about this later, set him up to set you up?’ The space captain looked at the trickster with a confused look. ‘Does that make any sense?’ 

  

‘Not... not really, no.’ 

 

‘Yeah, I figured, okay, let me rephrase that: did you ask him if he likes you?’ 

 

‘W-well, no, not directly, however-’ 

 

‘Then how can you know?’ Quill asked with a satisfied look, leaning back in his chair. ‘Seriously, you don’t know, until you ask.’ 

 

Loki stared outside for a moment and then sighed, ‘Maybe,’ he shrugged, trying to relax and lean back as casually as possible, ‘Let’s just focus on your ship for now.’ 

 

‘What’s there to focus on? She flies like a dream. And if my calculations are correct, which they nearly always are, we should be...’ he said as he looked at the screen, but he knitted his brow and kept staring at the monitor in front of him. 

 

‘What is the matter?’ Loki asked with a chuckle, but as the guardian’s expression remained puzzled, he became more serious, 'You did not get us lost, did you?’ 

 

‘Not lost,’ Quill answered, his eyes still glued to the screen as he pressed some buttons. ‘I know exactly where we are, it’s just... I don’t know how we got here...’ 

 

Frowning, Loki looked over Starlord’s shoulder, ‘Wait, is this...? Where is Midgard? Are we in the Andromeda Galaxy?’ 

 

‘Yeah, but,’ Quill frowned heavily, navigating though the maps of the galaxies on his screen with a swipe of his hand. ‘You see, _this_ is the Milky Way and _here_ is Terra, uh, Earth… Midgard?’ he said, zooming in on his map and pointing at the small blue and green planet, ‘And that’s where we are supposed to be, however, according to my navigation system we are,’ he then scrolled way back, ‘ _here_ , in the fourth district of the Andromeda Galaxy...’  

 

‘How is that even possible? It should take us at least _four_ days to get there,’ Loki remarked, but then the ship shook violently as a loud blast overpowered the sound of Quill’s mixtape.

 

‘SHIT!’ Quill shouted, looking at the monitors. ‘We’re under attack?! Why?!’ He sighed highly irritated as he walked towards the communication systems. ‘I’ll try to reason with these guys, we didn’t do anything apart from being here, did we?’ 

 

‘If we are trespassing, they are in every right to shoot us,’ Loki said as he scanned through a status report on the monitor to see which parts of the ship were hit. ~~~~

 

‘Yeah, but come on, they could’ve contacted us first,’ Quill said with an annoyed expression as he put on his headset. ‘Anyone there?! Do you read us? We come in peace! I repeat: we come in peace!’ The two heard no response and looked at each other. ‘If we are trespassing, we didn’t mean to. We just ended up here,’ Quill tried again, adjusting the frequency a little. ‘I think this is just a-’ another blast hit the ship, ‘-misunderstanding,’ the starlord said surprised, switching off the communication device. ‘They’re really pissed off, huh?’  

 

‘Yes, I do not believe they are in for reasoning,’ Loki tried to regain his balance, ‘We best think of something else, it seems like your ship is not battle equipped at the moment.’  

 

‘That’s because I thought it wasn’t necessary,’ Quill sighed, putting the ship on autopilot, pushing some more buttons before he walked further into the ship. As he entered the room again, he carried two large guns. ‘Thankfully, we are.’ 

 

Loki stared at his friend for a moment. ‘You mean... You want to enter that vessel?’ 

 

‘Yep, you ever fired one of these bad boys?’ Quill asked as he handed Loki a gun, after which he started to search through a pile of rubbish. ‘It should be here somewhere...’ 

 

‘What are you searching for?’ Loki asked as he looked at his gun, trying to get a better grip on the large weapon. 

 

‘Aha!’ Quill shouted heroically as he held up two small electronical disks. ‘This way, we can bring the fight to them.’ He placed one of the disks on the trickster’s chest, causing the holographic spacesuit to wrap itself around the raven’s body.

 

Another loud blast was heard, making the spaceship shake heavily. The monitors started to beep wildly. A loud alarm rang through the ship, the main lights shutting down, leaving the red emergency lights to cast an ominous hue throughout their vessel. Quill ran over to the control panel to find out what was going on. ‘I guess they’re bringing the party to us,’ he said seriously. 

 

‘Well then,’ Loki almost whispered, followed by a devious grin. His eyes were gleaming green with mischief as the emergency lights colored his normally pale skin in a threatening shade of red. ‘Let’s show them what happens when one messes with gods.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star-Lord back in business, droppin' another Awesome Mix!
> 
> Hi guys, as one might have expected, this chapter's facts will be all about our dearest Lord of Stars. 
> 
> Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our one and only Terran, Peter Quill!
> 
> Peter Jason Quill - Starlord
> 
> HIS ENTIRE FIRST ORIGIN STORY
> 
> Here's a little-known fact about Peter Quill: he has two different origin stories. The first one was established in Marvel Preview #4, Star-Lord's debut, and it's undoubtedly one of the zaniest superhero origin stories out there. The issue opened with Quill's father, Jake, trying to kill his newborn son after coming to the conclusion that the baby wasn't his. Before he could do anything to Peter, however, Jake died of a heart attack. Years after that incident, young Quill saw his mother get killed by a group of aliens, which kickstarted his obsession with space. As an adult, he became an astronaut and travelled to space. There, he met the Master of the Sun, an entity who turned him into the universe's protector: Star-Lord. While the story was good, it was a bit convoluted, so it's great to see Marvel opted to give Quill a more streamlined backstory.
> 
> HIS BIRTHDAY HAS TWO HIDDEN MEANINGS
> 
> Marvel Preview #4, Star-Lord's comic book debut, established Peter Quill as a very special individual. In the story, it's revealed that Quill was born on February 4, 1962. It's uncommon for comics to specify a character's birthday, but this was the date of a rare planetary alignment, which foreshadowed the character's future career as a space guardian. Funnily enough, that wasn't the only deeper meaning hidden in Quill's date of birth. Being born on February 4 made Quill an Aquarius, which writer Steve Englehart saw as a metaphor for the character's habit to flow outside life's stream. Moving forward, Marvel did away with those little tidbit and opted to not focus on Peter's birthday. 
> 
>  
> 
> HIS SHIP WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM
> 
> Prior to joining the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill was a lonely man. For a long time, his only companion was Ship, his sentient space vessel. Over the years, the two characters forged a strong bond. For Ship, however, this bond eventually turned into a romantic infatuation with Peter. Their relationship remained largely platonic throughout most of Star-Lord's original comic book run, but Ship did get to express her feelings at one point. In an effort to be noticed by Quill, Ship created an avatar of a woman and tricked the hero into thinking she was a real person. Fortunately, as Peter started to fall in love with her, Ship came clean about her ruse and the two space travelers opted to remain friends. Can you imagine this kind of complicated relationship between J.A.R.V.I.S. and Tony? Talk about awkward. 
> 
> Loki, this one is for you! HE AGES VERY SLOWLY!
> 
> At first glance, Peter Quill may look like your average Terran (human) male. After all, he constantly depends on special equipment to carry out his missions and doesn't seem to possess any kind of powers. In reality, however, Quill is far from an ordinary individual. Not many fans may be aware of this, but thanks to his Spartax DNA, Peter Quill ages at a much slower rate than humans. You see, people from Spartax live three times longer than Earthlings, which means that Star-Lord has a long life ahead of him. So, Lokes, if you ever wanna trade Peter Parker for a Peter who will, well… Live longer, now’s your chance!
> 
>  
> 
> NOW! A little special, if you really REALLY can’t wait to find out who the enemy is who hit the ship, you could do your research on the galaxy that they are in. Like I said before, I studied the mcu galaxies to see where this specific enemy comes from to make it even more to Marvel standards :D (it was fun!) We just ask you however to not spoil for the others who do want to wait! 
> 
> Really hope you learned a lot today, liked this chapter and to see you in 2 days!


	16. The Past Unveiled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You will have your war, Asgardian. If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain."

Defending their ship was easy. The creatures that had stormed their vessel were strong, yes, but they were also hopelessly uncoordinated, their strategy seeming to be nonexistent. Attack and kill, those seemed to be the words the aliens lived for.   

‘Want to enter their vessel?’ Quill shouted at Loki as he shot down one of the last intruders. ‘Might be some nice treasure or something in there.’   

‘Or more enemies,’ Loki said pensively as he touched one of the corpses with the tip of his boot, wondering what the creatures were that attacked them as they were completely clothed in armory, thus making them unrecognizable. ‘Perhaps the fight is not over just yet, we might as well go and have a look.’  

‘That’s the spirit!’ Quill shouted as he signaled the trickster to follow him, entering the enemy ship. ‘Let’s see,’ he whispered, ‘If you were a very valuable item, where would you hide?’ he smirked at the raven. 

‘ON THE GROUND!’ Loki shouted as he pulled Starlord down with him, the blast from a heavy gun sounding not far from them.  

‘Shit!’ Quill cursed as he looked at the wall behind them in which a hole was burned from the blast. ‘Okay, new plan, attack first, search for treasure second, how about that?’   

‘I like that plan,’ Loki agreed as he loaded his gun, quickly getting to his feet again.  

The two had prepared to fight their way towards the halls and into the control room, guns blazing, but the many hallways were empty, causing for a complete silence except for some beeping sounds coming from the machinery surrounding them as the two moved forward in utmost concentration. The moment they reached the seemingly deserted main control space, their guns suddenly lost power and a figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black, two armed guards by his side. 

‘This is it, huh? The final boss,’ Quill scoffed and he looked at the trickster, but his friend seemed completely petrified. ‘Loki? What’s up?’ 

‘We meet again,’ the alien said with a malicious smirk, ‘Welcome back, Loki, banished prince of Asgard.’  

Loki froze completely, dropping his gun as he stared at the creature, his eyes wide, his jaw locked.  

‘You know this guy?’ Quill asked in confusion, knitting his brows even further as he got no reply from his friend, wondering if he even heard him.  

‘I thought I would see you again, someday.’ The hooded figure walked towards the two, closely followed by his two henchmen, his hands casually folded behind his back. ‘Never would I have guessed though that you would walk straight into my arms though.’  

‘Don’t you come closer or I will have to hurt you!’ Quill warned him, raising his fists now that his gun was no longer working. As the hooded stranger showed no sign of stopping, Quill quickly darted forward, but the two minions stopped him. They screeched and howled loudly as they threw him against the wall on the other side of the room. ‘Okay, they’re strong,’ Quill said with strained voice.  

‘We did not mean to trespass,’ Loki eventually managed to speak. He tried to remain as calm as he could, trying to steady his trembling hands next to his body as best as he could.  

‘How can one trespass in his own home?’ the figure asked tauntingly, sending the minions from his side to stop Quill, who was already running towards them again. ‘You have failed and kept the tesseract from us, so some proper punishment will be in place, but we will see to that later.’ 

A violent shiver ran down the trickster’s spine as he held his breath.

‘Wait, home?’ Quill frowned, ‘This isn’t Asgard! And it’s not Terra either!’ he growled as he tried to struggle against the strong hold of his two attackers, who managed to get the guardian on his knees with a hard kick against his ankles, causing him to utter a cry in pain.  

‘Tell him, Asgardian,’ the voice said tauntingly, causing Loki to stare to the ground before him, clenching his jaws, his chest heaving. ‘No?’ the creature asked in a mocking sound of surprise, his finger now under Loki’s chin, forcing the prince to look him in the eye. As the trickster showed no sign of breaking just yet, the hooded figure shrugged. ‘Then the Terran dies without knowing why. Guards, execute him.’  

‘No, wait!’ Loki shouted in a panic, causing the figure in front of him to grin widely and raise his hand to stop the guards from executing the order. ‘I... I...’ Loki stammered in a quivering voice, averting his eyes from his friend who was now pinned down on the floor. He trembled, his stomach cramping to a tight knot as he forced the words from his lips. ‘I am with the Chitauri... I pledge my alliance to The Other and carry out his will and his will only...’ Loki chanted as his body trembled heavily, the words coming out of his mouth like a cursed spell. 

‘There, was it really that hard to say?’ the Other asked, scoffing as he did so. ‘I thought we had made you tougher than this, Asgardian,’ he added, patting Loki on his pale cheek.  

‘Hey! You get your hands off my friend!’ Quill shouted as he tried to understand what was going on. A sudden kick to his stomach making him wheeze in a sharp pain.  

‘Stop struggling, Quill, this is not your fight,’ Loki said sternly, though Quill’s incomprehensive look struck him hard. ‘This is not your fight…’ the trickster repeated, clenching his jaw and averting his eyes again.  

‘Your friend here is truly... ignorant,’ the hooded figure said as he shrugged. He walked around the trickster, placing one hand on Loki’s shoulder and wrapped the other around his throat as he whispered in his ear. ‘Surely you are in lead of stronger subordinates than this.’ The Other then walked towards Quill, observing him from a close distance as he scoffed in disgust. ‘You can see it, can you not, Loki? The weakness. The Terran truly considers you an ally, _his_ ally. Perhaps we should show him how wrong he is.’  

Loki looked up at The Other as a fear shone in his eyes. ‘W-what do you mean…?’  

‘Liberate him from this illusion of friendship, _show_ him the true power of the Chitauri Commander, the rightful ruler of Earth.’ But as the raven kept staring at him, fear coursing through his veins, the hooded figure continued. ‘Kill him. Or we will.’  

Loki’s eyes widened, his heart beating loudly to the point where it seemed about to burst out of his chest. His body trembling heavily, his breathing shallow. He looked at his friend.  

‘What? Oh no, no, no, I don’t think so, buddy. You're just playing some twisted mind games, aren’t you?’ Quill scoffed, a grin on his face. ‘Not happening, pal, you can’t mess with gods like that: we can see right through it, can’t we, Lokes?’ the man then turned his eyes towards the raven, his smile fading somewhat as dull and petrified eyes stared back at him. ‘Loki...?’ 

‘Show him,’ the Other said again, the command seeming to echo through Loki’s entire body.  

‘Show him what?’ the trickster eventually uttered in an attempt to defy this invader. He gulped as the cloaked figure now stood close to him, an unamused frown forming underneath the black fabric.  

‘Do you want your friend to die in pain?’ the harsh voice whispered. He placed a hand on the god’s temple, his sharp nails digging into pale skin as he growled, ‘I will make him _long_ for something as sweet as pain.’ He grinned as he saw Loki clench his eyes and grit his teeth, only to release the god as he let out an agonizing cry. 

Loki stared at the ground beneath his feet, his head hanging low as he caught his breath. He tried to steady his breathing again as he let his Seiðr retrieve from his body, causing his Asgardian battle tunic to disappear. He felt a violent shiver running down his spine as his cold hands slowly moved to the brim of his dark blue dress shirt. He managed to steady his fingers just enough to carefully unbutton it, throwing it on the ground and exposing his torso under the watchful eye of The Other, who looked at him with a content smirk. Not daring to look at his friend, Loki turned around as tears were slowly trickling down his cheeks, showing his back to Quill.  

‘Ah, yes,’ The Other whispered as he regarded the mark on Loki’s back, his fingers trailing over the scarred skin tissue on the raven’s shoulder blade. ‘This sign means that you belong with us, trickster, _to_ us. We created you from the ashes of what you once were. A misfit, a stolen relic, an empty husk floating through the desolation of space, awaiting the merciful blessing of death.’  

With a trembling nod, the raven confirmed The Other’s words. The cold touch of the man’s fingers sent shivers through his entire body, leaving him gasping. The Chitauri-mark on his shoulder was burning on his skin with the exact heat as when it was branded on him, causing choked sobs to leave his throat. 

‘Come on, man,’ Quill said desperately as he was hardly able to look at the mark, imaging the pain that must have come when it was branded on the trickster. ‘You won’t do this, Lokes, I know you won’t. We are friends, you know that. You can kick these guys’ asses right now! Come on!’  

‘Kill him, Loki,’ the Other whispered in the god’s ear, ‘Now.’  

The trickster clenched his hands, a haze of terror covering what were once vivid emerald eyes as the words of The Other forced him back into submission. His entire body trembled, making it hard for him to keep his footing. He turned around, his gaze meeting that of the guardian. 

‘Fuck…’ Quill whispered under his breath, and he struggled even more, trying desperately to break free. ‘FUCK!’ he shouted, showing pure hatred towards The Other, who watched the trickster with a pleased smile.  

‘Hold still,’ Loki mumbled emotionlessly as he conjured a dagger in his hand.   

‘No, Lokes, come on, we’re friends!’ Quill pleaded, his eyes staring frantically at the silver dagger that was being raised above his head. 

Without a sound, Loki moved his weapon with a rapid swing, causing Quill to screw his eyes shut tight. He cautiously opened them again as he heard two muffled sounds coming from both his sides, the painful grip on his body suddenly loosening as the two minions collapsed beside him, their throats slit by the trickster.  

‘Get out of here,’ Loki hissed as he pulled Quill to his feet, his attention already back to the Other. 

‘Like hell I am,’ Quill said relieved, but he now looked at the Other as well. ‘You’ve done it now, you asshole! You’re dead!’  

The Other glared at the two gods, eyes wide in rage, his hands clasping tightly around the hilt of his ancient sword. ‘How dare you,’ he managed to utter through clenched teeth as he looked at Loki, causing the trickster to take a step back, his exposed body now fully pressed against that of the starlord. ‘Then I will have to destroy both of you,’ the alien hissed, raising his sword.  

As The Other ran towards them with raised weapon, Loki suddenly pointed the palms of his hands towards his foe and let out a piercing battle cry, covering the whole scene in front of him in a thick layer of gleaming ice.   

Quill quickly wrapped his arms around Loki’s quivering body who lowered his hands and was hardly able to keep himself from falling. The Ravager could hear him taking deep chocked up breaths, his chest heaving heavily under his fingers. Loki felt cold, freezing, but Quill did not let him go. ‘Dude, easy, it’s okay.’ He hushed him, slowly loosening his grip on the pale god’s body so he could stand on his own two feet again. ‘Hey, you okay?’ he asked, breathlessly admiring their new frightening surroundings. 

Loki panted heavily as he stared at their reflection in the ice-covered alien. He saw how his eyes were a deep shade of red, his skin a bright shade of blue. ‘Not just yet,’ he conjured up a dagger once more and sliced it through the frozen creature’s eyes, breaking the Chitauri lord in pieces. When this was done, Loki allowed himself to fall on the floor, his heartbeat drumming in his ears, his strained body feeling like lead.   

‘Shit, Lokes...’ Quill uttered as he looked at the defeated god. 

‘Yes, I know, I am a terrifying Frost Giant, please just… just hand me my shirt,’ Loki said through his panting, stretching out his hand as he waited for the piece of clothing. He knew Quill would run, knew that he would look at him in revulsion. All he could do was pray to the Norns that the Ravager would not tell about his Jötunn heritage to his fellow Avengers.

‘Dude... That was freaking awesome!’ Quill shouted in excitement, hardly believing the amount of damage Loki managed to cause to the ship with what seemed like a simple wave of his hands. 

‘... What?’ Loki blinked as he now looked up at Quill’s face, which was surprisingly enthusiastic.  

‘Loki! God! Guy! That was so cool!’ Quill said as he quickly grabbed Loki’s shirt and handed it to him, ‘How, how come I did not know this?! Was that your magic or was it some ancient secret spell?! Oh, wait, no, you just said “Frost Giant,” that’s cool, I always thought you were Asgardian, but Jötunn’s cool too,’ he smiled as he sat down next to the god, letting out a deep sigh.  

After staring at his friend in complete astonished, Loki managed to utter some words. ‘I-I,’ He stammered as he slowly dressed himself, relieved to feel less exposed. ‘I do not know. I suppose these powers are part of my Jötunn heritage. I never knew I could do, well, _that_ ,’ Loki said as he stared at the pieces of frozen alien on the floor.  

‘Well, whatever _that_ is, it’s freaking awesome!’ Quill smiled. ‘You should use it more often.’ As a silence followed, Quill quickly cleared his throat and stood up, ‘So... wanna go back to the ship? I’ve still got some beer.’ he offered as he looked at the trickster with a caring smile, reaching out his hand to help his friend stand up, but as Loki absentmindedly stared in front of him, Quill’s expression became more concerned. He sat down next to him again, his voice now soft and gentle. ‘Hey, Lokes, you okay?’ 

‘…Quite,’ Loki managed to reply in a whisper and he took a deep breath. ‘Are you?’ 

Quill stared at the Trickster for a moment, wondering whether he should further venture on the subject, but he decided not to. ‘Always,’ he smiled kindly, helping his friend back on his feet. ‘Come on, Terra is waiting for us. It’s time to go home.’ 

‘That does sound great,’ the Asgardian managed to utter, and he nodded, following Quill through the ship back to the Milano.  

‘You know,’ Quill said casually as he supported the raven, whose blue color slowly ebbed away again, ‘That moment back there, when you slowly unbuttoned your shirt and threw it on the ground? If I wasn’t so freaking terrified, it would have actually been pretty hot.’ 

Loki stared at the space captain for a confusing second. He then noticed the teasing wink and chuckled softly as he shook his head. ‘Just trying to seduce you, glad my attempts did not go unnoticed.’ He managed to scoff in a weary voice. 

‘Yeah, it was a nice last thing to see before I would have died,’ Quill chuckled along, relieved to see the trickster laugh again. The god’s smile was much lovelier to look at than his frown, anyway. ‘Much appreciated.’ 

 The two laughed together as they walked back towards their ship, deciding the vessel had seen enough adventure for today.

‘So, have you figured out how we got here in the first place?’ Loki asked as Quill studied the different scanners and screens. 

‘Hm,’ Quill answered absentmindedly, ‘Maybe. I think there is a disruption in the hyper drive’s primal chord, causing it to overreact, thus sending us into an entirely different galaxy without us even noticing it. We must have been out here for at least five days. I think I will have to switch the hyper drive to separate manual controls, so we can determine more carefully where we jump to.’

‘Well, I am relieved to have such a skilled and sexy mechanic on board, in that case,’ Loki chuckled, causing Quill to look up and laugh. 

‘Yeah, where would you be without me, huh?’ 

‘Home, safe, but hey, this was quite the adventure, was it not?’ Loki teased as he sat down in his seat again, his body slumbering in the soft leather.

‘It sure was,’ Quill replied with a smile, patting the trickster on his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for this chapter. Please let us know what you think!
> 
> Now here are some facts on The Other and the Chitauri.
> 
> Facts The Other and Chitauri:
> 
> "The Tesseract has awakened. It is on a little world, a human world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead, and our force, our Chitauri, will follow. The world will be his, the universe will be yours. And the humans, what can they do, but burn?"  
> ―The Other
> 
> The Other was Thanos' personal servant. He provided Loki with the Chitauriarmy in an attempt to conquer the Earth and claim the Tesseract. In the wake of the failed Chitauri Invasion, the Other continued to serve Thanos and held frequent arguments with his new warrior, Ronan the Accuser until, in a fit of rage, Ronan killed the Other with his Cosmi-Rod by snapping his neck (Do I see a pattern here?). So yeah, in our fic, he dies a little differently. In the comics, "The Other" was an alias of Chthon the Elder God. Chthon spent his time studying the mystical forces of the universe and eventually he became the first on Earth to practice black magic.
> 
>  
> 
> "The Chitauri grow restless."  
> "Let them gird themselves. I will lead them into glorious battle."  
> "Battle? Against the meager might of Earth?"  
> "Glorious, not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim."  
> ―The Other and Loki
> 
> The race called Chitauri appeared as Ultimate Marvel's (Earth-1610's) counterpart to the Skrulls. They are a shapeshifting alien species who have attempted to conquer the Earth, most notably during World War II and again in the early 21st century.  
> The Chitauri claim to be part of "the immune system of the Universe", wiping out disorder and free will wherever they find it. They seem to prefer to act behind the scenes, mimicking and influencing the social and military methods of the species they are currently infiltrating. For example, they aided the Nazis in their attempt at world conquest by providing them with the technology to create a nuclear bomb carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile. However, this attempt was thwarted by the prototype super-soldier codenamed Captain America. Through the entire conflict of World War II, the Chitauri were being driven out of their operations in Africa and Europe, even from their main Japanese training camps in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following the end of the war, the Chitauri withdrew to make new plans.  
> The next attempt at conquest was more subtle (at first), involving long-term methods of manipulation such as will-inhibiting drugs in many nations' water supplies, influencing the media, and R.F.I.D. (radio-frequency identification) microchips to be implanted in schoolchildren, among other means. The Chitauri also infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., particularly the Psi-Division which could telepathically ferret out Chitauri agents. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to detect some of the low-ranking "drone" staff of the aliens, disguised as common office workers, and wiped them out in an assault led by Black Widow and Hawkeye.  
> The Chitauri planted false information through the compromised Psi-Division that led S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Ultimates into a trap on a small Micronesian island; due to the combined efforts of Iron Man and Thor, the Ultimates, Nick Fury and a handful of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers survived, but thousands of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers were killed and dozens of Helicarriers were destroyed.
> 
> The Chitauri were created by Bryan Hitch and Mark Millar, who's conception of the Chitauri was inspired by the British conspiracy theorist David Icke. Icke believes the world is secretly run by an elite called the Illuminati who are really shape-shifting reptilian humanoids.
> 
> So again, please let us know your thoughts! We are really curious on what you guys think about this chapter!
> 
> P.S. Shout out to everyone going to DCC! (Dutch Comic Con) this weekend!  
> I will be going tomorrow (24-11) and will be dressed as Thor in disguise! (Ragnarok version, when Thor and Loki visit Earth in search of Odin and meet Doctor Strange) and Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress will be going as Steve Rogers (also in disguise)  
> So for those of you who are going as well, please let me know and we might see each other there!


	17. Shut Up and Listen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!
> 
> So, as some of you might recall, Loki and Quill discovered a malfunction in their ship, causing them to warp through space for 4 Earthly days without them noticing.  
> Now we are gonna go back in time a little and see what happened at the Avenger Tower in those days. 
> 
> Hope you will enjoy! Next chapter will be up in two days :)

‘Could you please just sit down already?’ Bucky asked after letting out an irritated sigh, lowering the newspaper he’d been trying to read. He had been watching Peter pace back and forth through the living room for the past thirty minutes from the corner of his eye. He would have been able to ignore it, had it not been for the fact that this was the only thing Peter had been doing for the past **two** freaking days.   

‘I’m sorry, Mr. Barnes, I can’t,’ Peter said apologetically, continuing his endless pacing.  

‘... Then grab some toys and go play outside,’ the soldier grumbled as he turned back to his paper again, ‘You’re working on my damn nerves...’   

‘Could you for once stop referring to me as if I was a child, please? I can’t handle that as well, not right now,’ Peter said as he now came to a halt in front of the soldier, his hands in his side.  

‘I will stop if you stop acting like one.’ Bucky didn’t look up from his paper.  

‘And you wonder why nobody likes you,’ Peter mumbled with an annoyed sigh as he started pacing through the living room again.   

With this remark, the teen managed to get the Winter Soldier’s full attention. The man lowered his paper and glared at him, ‘What?’  

‘Nothing,’ Peter crossed his arms, the irritation still ringing in his voice as he now looked out of the window.  

‘Don’t “nothing” me, kid,’ Bucky lowered his paper and stood up, ‘If you’ve got something to say, then say it.’  

Peter turned around, facing the Winter Soldier, who was towering over him. Nonetheless, the teen was too agitated to care, and he straightened his back. ‘This is why people don’t like you, sir, you don’t care about anything! Not even about the person who considers you a friend!’  

‘You think I don’t care about Trickster?’ Bucky raised an irritated brow and shook his head. ‘Well, I do, but I also have faith in those two idiots, so I'm pretty sure they will get back safely.’  

‘But what if they don’t? What if something _does_ go wrong?’ Peter asked desperately, pacing to the window again and staring at the sky. ‘I should never have let him leave...’   

‘Why not? So you can nag at him till he changes into a girl and drag him along to some stupid party again?’ Bucky said, highly irritated. ‘Who are you to tell him what he can and can’t do, kid?’ 

‘Wha-?!’ Peter turned around and looked at the soldier, ‘That’s not what I meant! I just-’  

‘But that is what you did,’ the Winter Soldier replied. ‘And I’m sick of it.’  

‘Sick of it?! This is none of your business, you know that?!’ Peter shouted in frustration. After two days of constant worrying and a serious lack of sleep, a usually apathetical super soldier telling him what he did wrong in the past was just something the teen could not handle. 

‘I’m sick of your selfishness, your ignorance, your childish clinginess, everything. Just let the guy breathe for a moment, will you? Why do you think he left in the first place?’  

‘Because he went on some sort of stupid space joy-ride with Quill!’ Peter shouted, remembering Tony told him so on the roof.  

‘And you think Trickster would actually enjoy that?’ Bucky scoffed. ‘Come on, would he really go on such an adventure for no reason?’  

‘W-well-!’ Peter started, but as he thought of this, he gritted his teeth, ‘Well, why do _you_ think he left? You are, apparently, such a good friend of his! Surely you must know!’   

‘Okay, kid, I will allow you to rage on for a while, I couldn’t care less, but I want you to hear this, okay? Have I got your full attention?’ the Winter Soldier asked, both his voice and expression turning dead serious. 

Peter kept his mouth shut and simply continued to glare at the man, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of an actual reply.  

‘Alright, you want to know why I think Loki left? I think he needed some time away from you, to think stuff over. You’ve been dragging him from one place to the other and I know the two of you must have been through a lot by now, but, for some miraculous reason I will never understand, that guy cares about you. And I won’t let some ignorant brat toy around with his feelings, alright? I’m sick of it!’ The man then looked at the teenager in front of him, whose shoulders had dropped as he now stared to the ground instead of at the soldier. Bucky sighed and averted his eyes for a moment as he wondered how to continue the conversation. He took a deep breath to calm down and looked at Peter again; ‘Come on, kid, I don’t mean to-’  

‘I’m not toying around...’ Peter mumbled in a soft voice, clenching his fists, keeping his eyes on the floor. Tears started to form in his eyes as he came to realize that the man was right, on some points, anyway.  

‘Then what _do_ you want from him?’ Bucky asked calmly, the sight of Peter, on the brink of tears, causing him to lower his voice again.  

‘I don’t want anything _from_ him, Mr. Barnes,’ Peter said resolutely as he then looked up to face the Winter Soldier, ‘I just want to be _with_ him, alright? _I_ care, too.’  

Bucky remained silent for a moment, ‘I know you do,’ he sighed as he let himself fall on the couch again and crossed his arms.  

‘...Y-you knew?’ Peter asked softly, carefully taking a seat on a vacant spot next to him. 

‘I just wanted to know for sure,’ Bucky said with a pained smirk. ‘I figured Lokes would put you in your place sometime soon, but since he isn’t around at the moment, I decided to do it for him. I meant what I said, Peter,’ the Winter Soldier continued as he now looked seriously at the teen again. ‘Most of it, anyway. I would tell you to make up your mind, but I believe you’ve already done that.’  

‘I have,’ Peter slowly nodded, ‘and I’ve been trying to tell him this, but he just kept avoiding me…’ He then looked up at the soldier, ‘If only he would have told me, I could have... could have said that I'm sorry... I didn’t mean to, well, be everything you just called me...’ The last words were coming out as a mere mumble.

 ‘Yeah, you’re right. I should have yelled at the both of you,’ Bucky said with a chuckle, immediately feeling the tension between the them dropping a little. ‘Just to make you confess your feelings and get that stuff over with. Would have been a lot quicker.’  

‘Sure would,’ Peter said as he finally managed to smile. ‘Sorry, Mr. Barnes, for saying that nobody likes you. I didn’t mean it.’  

‘Bucky,’ the Winter Soldier said briefly, smirking at the teen.  

‘What?’ Peter asked as he blinked his eyes in surprise.  

‘My friends call me Bucky, as far as I know,’ he sighed. ‘It’s okay, Mr. Parker. I would apologize for yelling at you, but I think I had a good reason to do so, so let’s call it even, 'kay?’  

‘Did you, though?’ Peter squinted his eyes after which he laughed.  

‘Don’t push your luck, kid,’ the Winter Soldier replied sternly, but as Peter looked at him with big eyes, he chuckled. ‘You _are_ naïve, Parker.’  

‘... Yeah, maybe,’ the teen then remained silent for a moment as a question popped into his mind. It was something he had been wanting to ask the soldier for quite some time but had never dared to. He took a deep breath and looked at the man at his side, his fingers fiddling with the brim of his shirt, ‘Mister Barnes, uhm, _Bucky_... Can I ask you something? Something personal?’   

‘If you have to,’ Bucky chuckled. ‘Sure, go ahead.’ 

‘Well, I was just wondering, if, uhm,’ he then turned slightly towards the man as he dared to ask the question, ‘Do you... do you love Steve, or...?’ 

The Winter Soldier stared at the teen for a moment, blinking his eyes.  

‘Not that there is anything wrong with that!’ Peter hurriedly continued as the man remained silent. ‘Just curious...’  

Suddenly, the Winter Soldier laughed. ‘Why do people keep asking that?’ A grin formed on his face. ‘Can’t two guys just be friends anymore?’ 

‘Yeah, no, sure! Of course! It’s just, I just thought, well, since you two are such good friends and with your past and all...’  

‘Did you now?’ Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. ‘No, as far as I’m concerned, Rogers and I are two buddies in the platonic sense, thank you. Sure, he’s got a great body and magnetic blue eyes, but no, I’m fine with being friends.’  

‘Friends in arms,’ Peter said admiringly, imagining the two men side by side in combat during WWII.  

‘Funny,’ Bucky raised a sarcastic brow as he looked at his metal arm, but he smirked at the teen.  

‘So...’ Peter said as he let out a deep sigh, ‘What should we do now...? I mean, it’s been two days since they disappeared. They haven’t contacted us… Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. could start a rescue operation? I mean, we can’t contact the ship, but-’  

‘Here,’ Bucky said as he handed a piece of paper to the teen.  

‘…What, what am I supposed to do with this?’ 

‘It’s the newspaper’s comic section, should keep you quiet for a minute or two,’ Bucky said with a smirk, taking his newspaper in hand and continuing his reading, but then he looked up again with a desperate look in his eyes. ‘Please tell me that kids nowadays still know what newspapers are?’ 

Peter looked at the soldier as he blinked his eyes. ‘No, not really. What is it?’ He asked in all seriousness, leaning slightly towards the soldier to get a better view on the paper in his hands. He then looked up at Bucky, who stared back at him with big eyes, not knowing what to say. The teen smiled as he sat back on his place again. ‘You _are_ naïve, Barnes.’ He said, though a chuckle disrupted his sentence. 

‘Very funny, kid,’ Bucky smiled as he shook his head, watching how the teen got more comfortable next to him on the white leather couch, reading his comics. ‘Very funny.’


	18. One for All

 

‘Sir, I am not asking for an all-out search mission, just,’ Steve sighed as he talked on his phone, pacing back and forth as he did so.  

‘Good, ‘cause you ain’t getting one, Rogers,’ Fury’s annoyed voice sounded.  

‘Okay, yes, just... If I could have Barton and Natasha for just a couple of days, maybe Bruce and Rocket, we could-’   

‘Rogers, I’ve told you this before: if these guys wander off on their own, they are _not_ your responsibility. They are both grown-ups and more importantly, not officially part of S.H.I.E.L.D., so how about you just enjoy your time off and-’ 

‘Wait, Loki’s still not part of S.H.I.E.L.D. yet?’ Steve interrupted the man, rubbing the back of his neck with a frustrated sigh. ‘His paper work still isn’t through?’  

‘The guy _still_ hasn’t signed his contract, that is not our fault,’ Fury argued. ‘He’s always out, being missing apparently, and besides, I called you a couple of days ago to pick those papers up, but you were too busy dating, remember?’   

Steve opened his mouth to respond, but a vivid blush and a heavy feeling in his stomach kept him from speaking.  

‘Anyway, Rogers,’ Fury then continued with a sigh, ‘Stop worrying about them, alright? That's an order.’  

‘The ship Loki and Quill are flying turns out to be malfunctioning, Rocket confirmed this. They have been missing for **four** days. It could be anywhere right now and-’   

‘Well, then there is no point in arranging a search party now, is there?’ Fury asked. ‘I don’t have enough people to scout _all the galaxy_ after those two, especially not on a Friday night.’  

‘Sir, I'm not asking you to, but if you could just-’ Steve tried to continue, his voice starting to sound more desperate at the thought of him being unable to do anything to help the team, _his_ team.  

‘Rogers, I will hear no more of this, understood?’ Fury’s voice sounded sternly from the other side of the line. ‘Those two will show up, they always do, so stop worrying and enjoy your weekend, is that clear?’  

‘... Yes, sir,’ Steve eventually replied, sounding more defeated than he wanted to.  

‘Good. Night, Rogers.’  

Without another word, Steve pressed the red button on his phone and he looked up at the clock, noticing that it was already half past one. ‘No wonder he was so moody,’ he said with a slight smile, though his worries immediately got the better of him. Finally, he decided to go up the stairs and knock on Tony’s door.  

‘Tony? Can we talk?’ Steve asked, waiting politely for an answer, but there came none. Eventually he opened the door to the playboy’s bedroom and peaked inside, finding it dark and abandoned. ‘Tony?’ he tried again, just to be sure, but still there was no sound but the rain ticking against the window panes outside.  

‘Tony?’ Steve called as he walked through the hallway, hearing some footsteps. As he turned around the corner, he almost bumped into Peter, who jumped back as his spider senses told him to move immediately. 

‘Peter,’ Steve blinked his eyes, catching his breath as the sudden encounter managed to actually startle him. 

‘Hey, Steve,’ Peter started, opening his mouth to ask the captain a question, but he then slightly tilted his head and raised a brow, ‘You okay? You look a little pale.’ 

‘Hm?’ Steve asked, wiping some sweat from his brow. ‘What, no, I’m fine, thanks. Have you seen Tony?’  

‘Uhm, no, not since dinner anyway...’ He then looked up at the captain, a spark of hope glimmering in his eyes. ‘I was just wondering, have you talked to Fury yet? You know, about setting up a search party?’  

‘I have,’ Steve sighed, ‘It’s no use. They could be anywhere in the galaxy with that spaceship,’ he added, but as he saw the teen’s worried face, he tried to put on an encouraging smile. ‘Don’t worry, son, they’ll turn up soon enough. They always do.’  

‘I know but, it’s just... what if they don’t?’ Peter then sighed, his shoulders hanging low. His voice was soft, partly because he did not want to wake up any of the other Avengers, but mostly because his concern did not allow him to speak up in the first place. 

‘There’s just not much we can do right now,’ Steve said with a beaten look. ‘I’m sorry, Pete. But I’m sure they’re fine. Quill is a genius with that ship and Loki, well, he is a bit of genius with everything I suppose, so they should be fine.’  

‘I guess...’ he then looked up at the captain again, a grateful smile on his face. ‘Thanks, Steve, I know you’re doing the best you can.’ He then opened his arms and wrapped them around the blond’s waist in a warm hug.  

As Steve looked down at the teen, he sighed quietly, wrapping his own arms around the boy as well. He then rubbed Peter’s shoulder tenderly as he let go of him. ‘Now, stop worrying, okay? That’s an order,’ he said in a soft voice and a gentle smile spread across his face.  

‘... Yes, sir,’ Peter managed to reply with a smile as he quickly sniffed a tear away.  

‘That’s more like it, private. Dismissed,’ Steve said, keeping up his confident appearance.  

‘Thank you, captain,’ Peter softly chuckled. ‘I’m off to bed, see you tomorrow, okay?’ he then walked towards his own room, waving at the blond as he closed his door. 

‘Night, kid,’ Steve said quietly after Peter had already closed his door and the captain sighed deeply. He made his way towards the basement, wondering whether Tony might be working in his lab. As he saw the familiar silhouette of his boyfriend, he sighed in relief, causing Tony to look up.  

‘Shit, Rogers, can you perhaps not sneak up on me? Why do people keep doing that to me?’ the playboy said as he removed some funny-looking goggles from his eyes. 

‘That’s just a sign of having a bad conscience, Stark,’ Steve smiled.  

‘No, that’s just a side-effect of living in a house filled with ex-assassins,’ Tony smirked, waiting for the captain to kiss him, but as this did not happen, he decided on looking slightly annoyed. ‘What? I get nothing? You're just gonna stand there and look at me?’  

‘You know I like staring at you,’ Steve joked as he walked towards Tony, leaning next to the playboy against his desk as he inspected some of the gadgets the man was working on.  

‘Yes, well, I like staring at pretty cars too, but _driving_ them is much more fun,’ Tony raised a sassy brow as he got up to give his boyfriend a kiss.  

Steve smiled softly as he stared at him, then absentmindedly started fiddling with one of the tools from the playboy’s desk.  

‘Okay, do I need a password or code or something?’ Tony asked with a sigh, causing Steve to look up in surprise. “If (captain.exe_enters_room) {then kiss}, something like that? Or, “Kiss me and that’s an order, soldier”? Kiss or deliver, trick or kiss, kiss and ride! Anything, Rogers?’  

'Okay, okay, I get it,’ Steve shook his head as he laughed, leaning closer to Tony until their lips met, his hand softly caressing the other man’s cheek in a slow and loving kiss.  

‘Thank you,’ Tony said as he returned to his desk, the butterflies in his stomach going crazy. ‘Now, was that so hard?’   

Steve did not reply.  

‘Something wrong, Cap?’ the playboy asked, putting down the tools again he had just picked up.  

‘It’s just... I’ve spoken to Fury, about the search operation for Loki and Quill.’ Steve then looked at Tony, ‘He declined my request...’  

‘Which he is entitled to do, of course,’ Tony reminded the captain.  

‘I know, but,’ Steve jumped up from his place on the table, walking restlessly through the workshop. ‘We have no idea where they are, when they’ll come back, _if_ they’ll come back. We don’t even know whether they’re okay or not,’ Steve rambled, his steps growing more restless with every line coming out of his mouth.  

Tony followed the captain with his eyes for a while before commenting. ‘Can you just sit down for a moment, Steve, you’re driving me nuts, and not in the good way.’  

The blond stood still for a moment and, reluctantly, grabbed a chair to sit on. ‘There, better?’ he asked sarcastically as he crossed his arms, sounding more irritated then he wanted to. 

‘Why do you worry so much over these guys anyway? They're just two grown men on a little voyage through space. It’s like, like going camping with your buddies when you’re a teen. No big deal.’  

‘We don’t know that now, do we?’ Steve tried again. ‘For all we know, they might be in danger...’ His breath stopped for a split second as he could only imagine the two stuck somewhere in the middle of space, waiting for help that would not come.  

Tony rolled his eyes. ‘Do we ever know? Come on, Rogers, we can’t check up on each and every one of them all the time. I mean, how can you be sure of anything? Are you even sure everyone who’s supposed to be here actually _is_ here? I’m pretty sure I saw Wanda and Vision sneak out again.’  

Steve looked down at his feet for a moment, happy to swallow down some hurtful words before they would leave his mouth.    

‘This isn’t a prison or a Summer camp, Cap. It’s more like a hotel. You're supposed to enjoy being here without caring too much whether everyone’s indoors on time,’ Tony tried as he saw the captain struggle. ‘Really. It’s okay, Steve. Let it go.’  

‘... So, you think I'm overexaggerating as well?’ Steve eventually asked with a soft voice, his troubled blue eyes now directed straight at the man he called his boyfriend.  

‘Always,’ Tony started jokingly, but as he saw the captain’s eyes on him, his expression turned more serious, ‘You’re just worried and that’s alright, but at some point you just have got to let it go.’  

Steve opened his mouth, wanting to argue back, but the playboy had already turned back to his whiteboard again, pulling off some blueprints of the iconic Captain America suit.  

‘Now, I'm actually happy you’re here, Rogers,’ he said enthusiastically, ‘Though I'm always happy to have you here, of course,’ he smirked, stealing a quick kiss from the captain, and he laid out the blue prints on a table. ‘You see, I've been running some quick calculations and I think we can actually improve your suit a little! Now, I know you don’t want shoulder canons and what not, you’ve made that very clear last time, however-’ 

‘My suit’s fine the way it is, Tony,’ Steve said with a chuckle, his head now resting against the playboy’s shoulder. 

‘If you would always say that, you would still be wearing that old blue onesie right now, Rogers,’ Tony sassed though he quickly gave the man another kiss on his forehead. He projected a photo of the captain’s early 40’s stage suit in mid-air with a swipe of his hand. ‘I think I might just get you one for the weekend, a lazy outfit.’  

‘Yeah, sounds great,’ Steve said a little absentmindedly, but he managed to smile, ‘Listen, Tony, can we continue this in the morning? I’m kinda tired and, I was thinking that, maybe…’ A soft blush then colored Steve’s cheek as his voice became softer, ‘Since we’re in a relationship now, maybe, we could sleep together...?’ he suggested cautiously. 

Tony looked up and stared at the captain for a few seconds, trying to find out how to interpret this question. ‘You mean, just sleeping or uhm, how did my dad put it, “fondueing?”’  

The awkward silence filled the room again as Steve had to process the question, ‘Just sleeping, Tony.’ he eventually replied, trying to hide the blush that colored his cheeks once again. 

‘Yeah, fine, I just wanted to be sure. Would be pretty awkward if one of us was like “just sleeping” and the other, you know...’ As he saw Steve’s eyes still on him, Tony quickly cleared his throat. ‘Yeah, sure, I’ll see you upstairs. My bedroom’s way better than yours, well, no, they’re all pretty much the same, but I got my own shower, so I suggest my room.’  

‘Sounds good to me,’ Steve smiled, relieved to know he would not be alone with his worried thoughts. He stood up and walked towards the stairs, ‘Aren’t you coming?’ he asked as he saw Tony turning back to his work desk again and putting the weird goggles back on.   

‘No, I’ll just be a little longer. Some last things to finish, you see?’ Tony pointed at the complicated project in front of him.  

‘Uh, yeah, obviously it’s almost finished,’ Steve replied with a smile and shook his head, ‘Okay Tony, see you later.’  

‘What? No kiss goodbye?’ Tony asked disappointedly. 

Steve stared for a moment at the playboy, not able to suppress a smile as he looked at the funny goggles on the man’s face. He then raised a questioning brow as he smirked.  

‘Yeah, I know, I’m pushing it,’ Tony admitted with a chuckle. ‘See ya later, Cap.’  

Steve shook his head and smiled, ‘I’ll give you a nice kiss good night, okay? Once you’re in bed.’ He then, much to Tony’s surprise, smiled seductively, a wink following soon after.   

‘... I’d better get up there soon then,’ Tony said with a smirk, taking off his goggles. ‘I guess that offer doesn’t count when you’re already asleep, huh?’ 

‘No, I think we’re a little too old for Disney moments, so no kissing to wake me up, okay?’ he chuckled, ‘see you Tony, don’t take too long.’ He then turned around, going up the stairs back to the sleeping quarters.  

‘You’re never too old for a Disney moment!’ Tony shouted after him, putting on his goggles again. ‘Though I’d rather be there while you’re still awake, babe,’ he mumbled with a smile, his eyes following the curves of the captain’s body as he walked up the stairs. 


	19. The Soldier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> First of all, sorry for the late update. It's really close to the Holidays here (Sinterklaas on 5 December) so, of course, I had my family and family in law visiting this weekend.  
> It was fun, it was nice, and now everyone is stressing out again for Christmas XD
> 
> ANYWAY! 
> 
> Without any further ado, here's chapter 19!  
> This chapter and next chapter will be Stony, but after that, it will all be FrostSpider again! :D
> 
> Hope you will enjoy!
> 
> ps. - SPOILER ALERT - but this chapter will contain PTSD, so please proceed with care if you do not feel comfortable with this particular subject. Don't worry though, it will all end with a lot of fluff.

**Chapter 19**

**The other Soldier**

Steve entered Tony’s dark bedroom, turning on a small nightstand lamp. He started to undress, worry inevitably consuming his body and mind once more. He took off his shoes and socks, followed by his shirt, which he carefully folded and placed on Tony’s desk chair, his shoes neatly placed underneath. He then nearly jumped out of his skin as a bright flash of light illuminated the room, followed by the loud roaring sound of thunder.   

‘For crying out loud, Rogers,’ he mumbled to himself as he quickly closed the curtains, after which he undressed further and eventually crawled under the blankets in his boxer shorts. He wondered whether he should turn off the lights or wait for Tony with the lights on. Convincing himself this was pointless, he killed the lights, and tried to get some sleep. With his head resting on a pillow, he smelled a scent which kindly reminded him of his boyfriend, who would be with him sooner or later again. Steve stared at the closed bedroom door for a moment, reminding himself over and over that the billionaire had promised to be upstairs soon. Tony had promised, so he should believe him and stop worrying. He buried his face in Tony’s pillow, inhaled deeply through his nose, holding on to the playboy’s cologne for a moment, and exhaled again, trying to ease himself as he closed his eyes.     

Hours had gone by and it was still dark as the captain opened his eyes again, the loud booming sound of thunder making him jump up in his bed. He looked around, his skin covered in sweat, his body trembling heavily as he scanned his surroundings. It was dark, too dark to see anything. Still, Steve threw off his blanket, trying to navigate through the uncharted room, using the tip of his fingers and the occasional flashes of light. Where was he? How did he get here? His chest heaved as he gasped for air, his eyes darting from one end of the room to the other, his body supported by his arms as he leaned heavily on every object he came across.     

‘Buck, where are we…?’ the captain asked in a raw whisper as he searched for his weapon, but he could not find it anywhere. He wondered whether he should turn on the lights, but considering that this might be hostile territory, he changed his mind and instead set out to find his allies.    

‘Tony?’ he eventually managed to ask, his voice trembling, his throat constricted as he wondered which of his friends had followed him into this battle.    

He got no reply.    

‘Tony...?’ he tried again, softly, scared, no, petrified.    

Still, nothing.    

‘TONY?!’ he shouted desperately as his legs could hardly support his body any longer. Tears were forming in his eyes as his heart started racing. ‘Buck?! Anybody?! Does anybody copy?!’    

As he had come to realize that he had entered another room, he hit the light switch, a clinical white flash suddenly overwhelming him. He first covered his eyes with one hand, squinting heavily as he tried to adjust to the brightness of the room. He then looked at his side, taking a sharp breath as he saw a pair of bright blue eyes staring straight back at him. He crashed into the wall and searched for a weapon but found nothing useful against his opponent.     

‘What did you do to them, you bastard?!’ he shouted at the stranger, who seemed to have suddenly disappeared. He tried to get up in order to chase after the man he just saw, but his legs did not allow it. He scanned his new surroundings in a panic and started crawling towards a sink, hoping to use it as a way to pull himself up, he placed his hands on the cold marble.    

He pricked his ears as an unsettling sound neared him.

Footsteps. 

Someone was walking towards him, no, running. 

Steve gritted his teeth, trying to steady his blurry vision on the door opening. 

‘Steve?!’ he heard a somehow familiar voice calling and he felt a firm hand holding on to his arm. ‘Steve, what’s going on?!’     

‘DON’T TOUCH ME!’ the captain shouted. He took hold of the hand and, with a hard kick in the gut, sent the stranger flying to the other end of the bathroom. Luckily, the nano-technology of Tony’s suit deployed quickly enough to take the hit for him.     

‘Rogers, what the hell?! Why’d you do that?!’ Tony shouted, his worried and now angered face hidden behind the iconic red and golden mask.    

The man on the floor stared at him for a second as he tried to catch his breath, ‘He, he’s getting away, damnit!’ Steve cursed as he gasped for air and pointed in the distance. ‘We have to stop him!’    

‘Stop who, Steve?’ Tony asked sternly, and he glanced around him in a panic, already raising his hand up, the thruster in his gauntlet ready to fire. ‘Who’s here?’    

‘The soldier!’ Steve shouted, pointing at the mirror.    

‘Who do you mean?! I don’t see anybody!’ Tony snapped as he turned around, his gauntlet still raised and now aimed at the blond, causing the other man to cower, hiding behind the shield he did not have. ‘Friday! Give me an IR-scan of the room, now!’ Tony commanded the AI and a bright orange hue coming from the man’s chest scanned the room.     

‘No other life forms detected, sir,’ the mechanical voice concluded, but as Tony wanted to sigh in irritation and confusion, the AI continued. ‘However, I do read a dangerously high blood pressure on Captain Steve Rogers. Heartbeat is 192 and increasing. Adrenaline levels are increasing. Temperature now reaching 38.1o C.’   

‘Which means?!’ Tony snapped in irritation, not understanding a word of the information that the AI was giving to him.   

‘Captain Rogers vital functions are in danger, sir. I conclude this outcome due to a severe panic attack, possibly PTSD. I suggest you stabilize him as soon as possible.’  

Tony looked at the captain, raising a confused brow at the man’s strange behavior. He then turned around again, looking at where Steve was pointing more intensely this time, and everything suddenly made sense as he saw their reflections in the large mirror. He took a deep breath and looked at his friend. ‘Steve, it was just your reflection in the mirror. It’s okay.’    

‘No! It’s not! We have to stop him! He, he’s got Bucky and, and Tony and the others and I can’t-!’ Steve shouted in a frenzy, trying to pull himself from the floor using the marble sink, but as another booming sound of thunder struck the earth, his arms could not support him any longer and he fell down again, taking a few bottles of expansive cologne with him, which shattered across the floor.     

‘Steve?!’ Tony dove to the ground, trying to see whether his boyfriend was injured, but a strong arm made him keep his distance.    

‘Please, I beg you, just-!’ Steve panted as he pointed at the door, unaware of the shattered glass surrounding him. His arm was shaking heavily till the point where he could no longer support it and it dropped at his side like a dead weight. His body was trembling heavily, affecting his breathing as a quivering, unrecognizable voice came from his throat. ‘We can’t let him get away!’    

‘Steve, you’ve gotta listen to me, man,’ Tony tried to speak calmly, taking the soldier’s hand firmly in his own and he looked into the petrified blue eyes. ‘It’s alright, Steve. No one’s in danger. You're fine.’    

The captain’s eyes first locked on an unrecognizable face made from shining reds and golds with eyes as bright and cold as a full moon. They then darted back and forth restlessly, making Tony wonder whether he even heard him or not. ‘Shit...’ Steve then looked up at the stranger, a haze of panic and tears obstructing his eyes from actually seeing the man. ‘Peter... he went to his room, what if-?!’    

‘Just look at me, Steve,’ Tony tried as calmly and clearly as he could. ‘Peter’s fine, I just checked on him, he’s safe and sound, alright?’    

‘...I, I can’t,’ Steve let out in a dying whisper, ‘I can’t breathe...’    

‘...What?’ Tony merely replied, staring at the captain for a moment, but he quickly snapped out of his blank mode. ‘Yeah, you know what, I’ll get Banner, he’ll know what to do! O-or Barnes, or both! Just, just wait here, I’ll be right back!’ Tony wanted to stand up and call for help, but a strong grip nearly crushed his wrist. ‘Steve? Steve, you’ve got to let go or-’ but as the once vivid azure eyes were starting to become dull and the captain’s skin started to lose color, the playboy remained by his side. ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Okay, okay, come on Stark, you can do this, damn it!’ He then turned to the captain again while calming his own breathing, placing a hand on the man’s cheek. ‘Steve, listen carefully, I want you to concentrate on me, and only me, do you understand?’ the last sentence coming out more sternly. ‘Just focus on my breathing, try to, to... mimic it, follow my lead, understand?’    

‘I-I can’t,’ the captain gasped.    

‘Yes, you can! You have to! Come on, do it for the team, Rogers!’     

As the captain’s breathing finally seemed to stabilize somewhat, he looked at Tony with tired eyes. ‘What about the others...?’ he managed to ask, his voice still trembling, as was the rest of his body.    

‘I’m sure they’re fine too. It’s you I’m worried about.’ The playboy’s face now grew grim as his boyfriend seemed to come to his senses. ‘What happened?’    

‘I, I don’t know, I think I had a nightmare and then I just woke up i-in a strange room, and, I thought I heard gunfire outside, so I...’   

Tony looked through the door of the bathroom back into his dark bedroom, a flash of lightning illuminating the silhouettes of the furniture as a now softer growl came from the skies outside. ‘I see... Steve, does this always happen when you worry this much over others? Have you had such an experience before?’    

‘... Is everyone okay...?’ the blond asked once more, staring at the glass on the floor in which he almost placed the palms of his hands, hardly hearing the question his boyfriend was asking him.    

‘Everyone else is fine,’ Tony hurriedly took the captain’s hands in his own, keeping him from touching the shards. ‘Except for you, damnit. Can’t you be just a little more egocentric for a moment and stop worrying about the others?’ Tony asked with a sigh as he stared into the captain’s eyes. He tapped his fingers against the core of his chest, the nano-suit now fully retracting again revealing his face. ‘We are all fine, Steve.’     

‘Tony...’ Steve whispered as his eyes scanned the man’s face, only now finally recognizing him. He wrapped his trembling arms around his boyfriend’s neck, clinging on to him for dear life, the sweat of his body soaking into the playboy’s clothes. ‘Thank God you’re okay...’    

The playboy stared at the trembling soldier for a moment before he wrapped his arms around him as well. ‘Damnit, Steve, don’t ever do this to me again, okay?’ he sighed in relief, pressing soft kisses against the blond’s temple. He whispered honied and soothing nothings in his ear as he held his boyfriend close against his body, rocking him gently back and forth while keeping his warm arms around him.     

‘I’m so cold, Tony,’ Steve whispered as a shiver ran down his body, his hands clenching around the fabric of the playboy’s shirt. ‘I’m so tired...’    

‘I know, sweetheart, it’ll be okay,’ Tony replied, his voice soft. With another gentle kiss pressed against the man’s forehead, he let go of his boyfriend, holding on to his arms only. ‘Okay, we have to get you cleaned up, ‘cause... Well, I don’t mind the smell of sweat, but you look horrible,’ he smiled warmly, ‘And then we’ll go to bed, deal?’    

‘Together?’    

‘Together.’    

The blond remained silent for a moment, after which he took a shivering breath and reluctantly nodded. ‘I will, I will take a shower... thanks for checking on me.’     

‘Anytime,’ Tony smiled as he brushed a lock of hair from the blond’s face. He carefully moved forward, pressing a quick peck on his boyfriend’s lips, relieved to notice that the man returned the favor. ‘Now, let’s get you up and running, shall we?’    

Steve took the man’s hand to stand up and tried to stand on his own two legs. ‘I know how to shower, Tony, I'll be fine.’     

But as the blond started to stagger on his feet, his boyfriend shook his head, trying his best to make sure the captain would not fall on the ground again. ‘No, I don’t think so, mister. I’m not leaving you alone again,’ Tony said with a suppressed voice, all his effort going into supporting the soldier.   

Lacking the energy to argue back, Steve decided to just focus on keeping himself standing, to take his weight off his boyfriend.  

‘Okay, lean against the wall,’ Tony shoved his friend against the bathroom wall as he spoke. ‘I’ll be right back.’    

Before the captain could say another word, Tony came back with his desk chair, which he put in the shower cell and guided his friend towards it, making sure all the shattered glass was out of the way as Steve’s bare feet stumbled across the floor. The blond looked at the old engraved wooden furniture, which was decorated with a satin cushion and silver ornaments. ‘You are not serious, right...? Tony, the water will damage that thing beyond repair.’  

‘Uh!’ the playboy hushed him. ‘I do what I want and you’ll just have to deal with it. Besides, it’s a modern replica, I can get another one.’ With a nod, Steve let himself fall in the chair, happy not to be standing anymore and, even more so, not to be alone. ‘Okay, you go... undress, I'll go get a towel,’ the playboy ordered, looking at Steve’s boxers for a moment.    

‘Undress?’ Steve asked a bit confused. ‘You mean, you are actually going to watch me take a shower?’    

‘I’m gonna _help_ you shower, if that’s what it takes,’ Tony said without turning around as he got a towel out of the cabinet.    

Steve remained silent for a moment, after which he slowly nodded. ‘We’re in a relationship, so, this should be okay, right?’     

‘Yeah, I mean, this situation isn’t exactly what you’d call _normal_ , but seeing you naked is something I could get used to,’ Tony said with a smirk, relieved to see a smile forming on the blond’s face again. ‘I mean, I won’t try anything, don’t worry, I’m fine with just a shower tonight. Besides that, I just want to sleep, that’s all.’    

‘So, no fondueing tonight, huh?’ Steve managed to reply with a chuckle.  

Tony first looked at his boyfriend in surprise but he quickly chuckled and shook his head. ‘No, not tonight, Rogers. Try me some other time.’  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for this chapter, like I said, one more Stony chapter and then it'll be all FrostSpider again :D
> 
> Ps. For those of you who are reading my new fic "Another Love" (A Stucky/Stony fic) I will be posting a new chapter in a few minutes or so :D
> 
> Everyone thanks again for your patience! See you in 2 days!


	20. What makes us Indestructible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys,
> 
> Just some Stony fluff for you all to enjoy :)

Slowly, Steve took off his underwear, a vivid blush coloring his face as he tried to remain his calm breathing, waiting for Tony to turn on the shower and hand him the shower gel.    

‘Okay, just asking, are you okay with me watching you or should I actually look at the white wall the entire time?’ Tony asked teasingly as he searched for some bottles at the far end of the bathroom.    

‘Please don’t leave me!’ Steve shouted as he saw the man disappear, the fear of having to be alone again making him shiver. But as Tony’s sentence only now actually reached him, he continued softer, ‘I-I’m okay with you watching... helping... whatever...’    

Tony looked up in surprise, blinking at the captain, ‘Alright. That does make things easier, thanks.’ He walked over to Steve and put some bottles on the floor of the cell before he turned on the shower. ‘Is this temperature alright, or...?’ He asked, making sure the water first hit his hand before reaching the captain.   

‘It’s perfect,’ Steve nodded, a grateful smile on his face. ‘You’re gonna get wet like this, you know?’    

‘I don’t care, I’ll just take a quick shower after we’re done with you,’ Tony said, rolling up his sleeves. ‘Okay, we’ll just start on your hair, ‘cause that’s just... I have no words for it, it looks horrible, Cap.’ He emptied half the bottle of shampoo on the captain’s head, after which he tried his best to massage it over his short locks. ‘You okay?’ he asked without looking at Steve, his concentration fully absorbed by his task.    

‘I’m fine, Tony,’ Steve chuckled softly, closing his eyes just to be sure. ‘You know, you called _me_ a nurse, but if it weren’t for those constant sass and the fact that you’re a billionaire playboy, I'd say you’d make a great nurse yourself.’    

‘Nurse Stark,’ Tony said with a chuckle. ‘Yeah, well, all the patients would be asking for me, so I’d better not. I’ve got enough patients to look after here.’ He stood back a little to look into Steve’s eyes and he made sure the captain saw his smile. He saw how he stared back at him for a moment, the smile that then followed on the blond’s face was formed solemnly out of love and gratitude. Pure, saintly, divine. Just some words Tony thought of as he looked at his boyfriend, hypnotized by his innocence.    

Steve reached out for Tony’s collar, pulling him closer and he kissed the man on his lips, soaking him underneath the warm water. ‘Thanks, Tony.’    

‘You’re crazy, you know that?!’ Tony said as he moved his head back from underneath the shower, gasping for air, but as he took in what just happened, he smiled wide and looked at the captain. ‘No problem, Steve. Now, hands in the air, we’re making sure every bit of you is squeaky clean, Rogers,’ He said as he put some shower gel on his hands. As the captain stared at him in amazement for a moment, the playboy waited impatiently, ‘Well? Hands in the air, cowboy.’    

Steve did as he was told, ‘You _could_ just hand me the shower gel, you know that, right? I mean, then I’ll just do th-’ but as Tony’s hands were already working their way down his arms, Steve started to loudly giggle and he squirm under the man’s touch.     

‘Sheesh, Rogers, I didn’t know you were one for the giggles,’ Tony raised a brow, not able to suppress laughter himself. ‘You know, you are making this way harder than it needs to be. Stop moving, damnit!’ He said as Steve kept squirming and laughing. ‘Come on, man, give me a break,’ the playboy laughed, letting out a sigh as the captain calmed down a little.    

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’ Steve said as his laughter started to die away, a tear forming in his eyes, ‘I can’t help it, it’s not my fault.’   

‘Well, you leave me no choice, Rogers, I won’t tolerate any more giggling tonight,’ Tony chuckled as he stood close to the captain again, continuing what he started. He moved his hands over the man’s arms, feeling strong muscles underneath soft skin. He ventured up higher, softly massaging the back of his neck, earning himself a soft moan in relief from the blond. With the help of the foam that now almost completely covered the man’s body in silky bubbles, he moved his hands to his broad chest, watching the blond closely to see to it that he would not flinch under his touch, a smile forming on his face as he saw that the man had closed his eyes.   

Steve suddenly smiled as an idea popped into his head. He wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist and pulled him against himself, covering them both in the velvet soap, hugging him tightly. The aromatic scent of the billionaire's expensive Calvin Klein shower gel filling the air.   

‘Wha-?! No! Let me go, you crazy bastard!’ Tony laughed. As he was now soaked to the bone himself, he just glared at his friend with an unamused look. ‘Really, Rogers?’    

‘Shut up, Stark,’ Steve said, not being able to keep up his sassy smirk, turning it into a bright smile. ‘You were soaked anyway.’     

Tony smirked and kissed the captain, a bright smile on his face, but suddenly his face contorted, and he pulled back. ‘Oh, that’s just awful!’    

‘Wait, w-what is?’ Steve asked, his eyes now wide with worry. Did he just cross a line? Should he have just showered alone? Was it the kiss...?      

‘Oh, that’s just gross!’ Tony said, pulling weird faces. ‘Ah, I got soap in my mouth, oh, that’s disgusting!’    

Steve stared for a moment and then started to laugh loudly. ‘Well, you’ve been using so much language all your life, I thought you could really use a good mouth wash.’ He chuckled as he picked up the bottle of shower gel and read the label, ‘Plus, this is supposed to be “spicy musk and a hint of red berries,” so, hey, how bad can it be?’     

‘Well, it sure as hell don’t taste like it,’ Tony said disapprovingly. ‘Yeah, okay, I’m just going to shower you down and be done with it. You can drag your own ass to bed, if you keep talking to me like that.’   

‘So, you were planning on dragging me, huh?’ Steve smirked as he crossed his arms. ‘So much for the nurse in you.’  

‘Hey, at least I’m helping,’ Tony aimed the showerhead right into Steve’s face, causing the man to flinch. ‘I could just leave you here in the shower for the rest of the night.’  

‘Please don’t,’ Steve chuckled and coughed at the same time, ‘Haven’t you been taught respect for the elderly?’ 

‘Of course,’ Tony aimed the showerhead at the captain just one more time before turning it off and heading for the towel. ‘I was also told I shouldn’t date my father’s friends, but here we are.’  

‘Wait, someone actually told you?’ Steve frowned. 

‘Oh, yes, sir,’ Tony handed the towel to his boyfriend. ‘I think he was some news reporter or something… He said, “If that Rogers ever magically appears again and he’s still young and good-looking, don’t date him! The man’s a menace to this city!”… Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard from him ever since, I think he’s some kind of [publisher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publisher) the Daily Bugle newspaper.’  

This caused Steve to chuckle as he started to dry himself, ‘Yeah, that’s what I am, a real trouble to society.’ He wrapped the towel around his waist and looked at Tony. ‘Could you please get me some clean underwear?’  

‘Yeah, sure. Uhm, I’ll just get you some other clothes as well. Hold on, be right back.’   

Tony moved through his bedroom, switching on the lights for later, and he made his way to Steve’s room. Although he was on a mission, he felt like he was trespassing on his boyfriend’s territory, even though he freaking owned the room. Quickly he searched for some underwear and wondered what else to bring, but since they were just going to be asleep, he figured the underpants were enough. As quietly as he could, he closed the door behind him and turned around to walk back to his room, only to run into the Winter Soldier in the hallway. They both looked from each other’s faces to the white underpants Tony was holding.  

Bucky looked the playboy up and down, noticing how he was soaking wet, his hair sticking to his face and somehow smelling like berries and musk. He then slowly looked back at the underwear in his hands. ‘...Are those Steve’s?’   

The playboy stared bewildered at the soldier. ‘How do _you_ know?!’ he asked in confusion, though he tried to stay indifferent.  

‘His name’s spelled in the brim of his underwear,’ Bucky remarked, pointing lazily at the fabric where it spelled S.G. Rogers.  

Tony looked down and saw that the soldier was right. ‘Rogers, why?’  

‘‘Cause he’s an old-fashioned guy.’ Bucky shrugged and then looked at Tony again, ‘Do I even want to know what happened, or...?’  

‘Uh,’ Tony wondered, ‘Do you?’ 

‘Okay, just tell me one thing, is Steve okay? ‘Cause I don’t really worry about _you_ , it’s just...’  

Tony looked at the soldier and he felt grateful for the man’s concern. ‘Steve’s fine, he is now.’ 

‘Panic attack?’   

‘Yeah,’ Tony said with a nod, relieved to know that apart from him, at least one other person knew about this as well.  

‘Yeah, it happens, sometimes,’ the soldier tried to explain as casually as possible. ‘Really, it’s scary as fuck, I know. Just try to be there for him. That’s what… what works best, someone to bring you down to earth again.’  

‘I see,’ Tony said, a pressing silence falling between them. ‘Barnes, you okay?’  

Bucky looked up in surprise for a moment and then smiled slightly. ‘Yeah, I'm fine. I’ll just join you two in a minute. You’ve got a big bed, right? Better make some room.’ As the playboy stared at him with wide eyes, Bucky chuckled. ‘Just kidding, Stark. See you guys tomorrow.’  

‘Yeah, see you,’ Tony said with a smile. As the two walked past each other, Tony turned around again. ‘Buck?’  

‘What?’   

‘The door’s always open if you _really_ want to join us, just make sure to knock first, okay?’ Tony raised a sassy brow.  

‘... Will do, Stark,’ Bucky chuckled, and he shook his head. ‘I have no intention on walking in on you two having sex, so I’ll be sure to make myself heard.’ 

‘Okay, your loss,’ the playboy then shrugged as he walked back to his room. 

‘Took you a while. Got lost?’ Steve asked as he was now sitting on the bed, throwing a pillowcase on the floor. 

‘Your underwear and I ran into Barnes. He’ll be joining us later tonight.’ Tony said with a chuckle as he handed Steve the underpants.   

‘… Are you serious? Is something wrong with him?’ Steve asked surprised.  

‘Your _boyfriend’s_ fine, Rogers, though you might want to tell him you’ve got a lover. I think he suspects something. Walking around with a man’s underwear is a bit suspicious, you know,’ Tony chuckled. ‘Now, if I hear you ask whether someone’s alright one more time, you will be sleeping on the couch.’  

Steve stared at his “lover” for a moment after which he chuckled. ‘Wow, haven’t I become quite popular all of a sudden?’ he laughed, continuing to take off the bed.  

‘Mr. playboy, could you move that sexy ass of yours for a moment, so I can actually change the sheets?’ Tony asked impatiently as he tugged on the blanket Steve was sitting on. 

‘Sure, if you’ll tell me where I can get new ones,’ Steve said as he stood up with care, making sure he would not lose his balance. ‘I didn’t feel like searching through your cabinets.’ 

Tony looked him up and down and chuckled. ‘It would not look suspicious at all if you walked around with nothing but a towel around your waste and your underpants in hand, looking for fresh linen. Nah, I’ve got some stuff here, it’s fine. You go dress yourself, you are distracting.’  

Steve made his way to the bathroom, put on his underwear and came back. He first looked up in surprise, but then snorted loudly as Tony struggled to cover all the corners of the matrass with a bright new clean sheet. ‘Need a hand there, my dearest lover?’ he chuckled as he heard the man curse and mumble under his breath.  

‘No! I am a strong and independent man, Steve,’ Tony remarked as he stretched his arm as far as he could to cover the last corner. ‘Tah-dah!’ he shouted as he got up. ‘Now, that’s a nice bed for ya!’ Tony said with satisfaction. ‘Okay, so we got a clean bed, a clean Steve, now all we need is a clean Tony and a good night’s sleep.’ He walked over to the shower, hardly paying attention to his boyfriend.  

‘Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?’ Steve smiled as he grabbed the playboy by his arm. 

‘No, what?’ Tony asked grumpily, eager for a shower.  

Steve smiled and shook his head, then he tapped a finger against his own lips, waiting for the man to give him a kiss. 

‘Usually, I’d be so tempted to do that, but right now, you’ll just have to wait,’ Tony said teasingly, walking into the bathroom. 

‘As long as you don’t take too long, Tony,’ he chuckled as he crawled underneath the blanket. He took a deep breath of the freshly washed sheets, surprising himself that he missed the old smell of his boyfriend’s cologne. Before long, the playboy emerged from the bathroom again, wearing only his underwear as well. ‘So, happy now?’ Steve asked with a smile as the playboy switched off all the lights except for the one on his nightstand, before allowing himself to fall on his bed.  

‘Like a kid on Christmas,’ Tony said sarcastically as he pulled the sheets over his body, making sure the captain got his fair share. He then smiled and looked at his boyfriend. ‘Yeah, okay, I’m pretty happy right now. Very tired, but happy.’  

Steve wrapped his arms around the playboy’s waist with a content smile, his head resting on the man’s chest, listening to his soothing heartbeat. ‘I really love you, Tony.’ 

At first, the playboy wanted to make a sassy remark, but as he felt Steve’s warm body against his own, the man’s face resting on his chest with a tranquil smile, his heart just melted. ‘Love you too, Rogers.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it on the Stony part.   
> Next chapter will be Peter and Loki! What will they say to each other? What will happen?  
> And, above all, which Peter are we talking about (Quill or Parker)
> 
> Find out in two days! The moment we've all been waiting for! :D


	21. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> NOW! I'm not going to hold you up any longer with a lot of talk,
> 
> We just really REALLY hope you will enjoy this chapter as you all have been waiting (falling) for 3 parts! (30 minutes!) XD
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! :D

 

‘How about...  Ice Star?’ Quill suggested as he shifted the controls of his ship from autopilot to manual.  

‘I beg your pardon?’ Loki asked, a chuckle disrupting his sentence.  

‘Come on, our epic bromance needs a name,’ Quill smirked, ‘How about... Freezing... awesome... freezing awesome god... guys?’  

‘Oh, please, that sounds horrible,’ Loki laughed, shaking his head.  

‘Okay, well, you give it a try then.’  

‘Easy,’ The god smirked, and as Quill’s inquisitive eyes were on him, he merely shrugged. ‘Frost-Lord.’  

‘O MY GOD, Loki!’ Quill nearly squealed as he looked at him, ‘That’s freaking brilliant!’   

‘We are not calling ourselves that though,’ Loki tried to warn him, but he had already lost Quill to the shipping madness.  

‘Oh, yeah, no, of course,’ Quill shrugged casually, but his bright smile betrayed him.   

‘Besides, do you not have a girlfriend?’ Loki teased. ‘She would not be too happy to hear of this.’  

‘Ah, she wouldn’t mind... I think... Plus! There's a difference between a BROmance and a ROmance, huge difference, my friend.’ 

‘Is that so?’ the trickster asked with a chuckle. ‘Explain that to me, please.’  

‘Uh, well, romance is what Gamora and I have... and hopefully you and Right Peter as well... And Bromance is, well, what we have, just epic friends, who occasionally strip for each other,’ he said, laughing at his own explanation. ‘Basically, it’s the same as a relationship but without the sex.’ 

‘I see,’ Loki shook his head with a smile, though he thought this over, which caused him to laugh even more. ‘Quill?’  

‘Yeah, what’s up?’  

'You owe me a striptease,’ the trickster laughed. 

Starlord nearly choked on his drink as he had just taken a sip of beer, the liquid almost running out of his nose as he managed to swallow it down just in time. ‘Oh you’re on!’ he laughed and turned on his Awesome Mixtape even louder, putting his vessel back on autopilot. 

‘What are you doing?’ Loki asked with a slightly confused smile as the Ravager suddenly jumped from his chair. 

‘A striptease always starts with a sexy dance, right?’ he smirked, moving to the rhythm of the song while singing along, causing Loki to laugh loudly.  

‘Quite, quite,’ the raven nodded as he covered his mouth with his hand. ‘Truly, you have a talent.’  

‘I know, right?’ Quill said, moving his hips along. ‘I could make serious money out of this, but considering you’re my friend, you’re getting a special discount.’ 

‘I cannot believe my luck,’ Loki laughed, watching the moves of the dancer, occasionally looking away as Starlord made him laugh to loudly.  

‘There you go! Luck’s on your side again, Lucki!’ Quill smirked, slowly tacking off his leather jacket and throwing it in a corner with a twirl of his body. He looked at Loki, a content feeling of happiness brewing in the core of his chest as he saw the trickster laugh. It was just another confirmation that the God’s smile was indeed a lot lovelier than his frown. 

‘Usually I would say something about calling me that, but since your dance moves are so phenomenal, I will let it slide for once,’ the trickster laughed as he kept his eyes on the Lord of Stars. He had to admit, the man had a great body, especially considering he was a Midgardian.  

‘That’s what I thought!’ Quill smirked as he took off his shirt and threw it in the trickster’s face, hardly able to stand on his feet as his laughter threatened to disrupt his dancing. He managed to move his hands from his chest down to his lower abdomen, his fingers starting to play with the buckle of his black leather belt, slowly loosening it.   

Loki closed his eyes as they started to fill with tears of laughter, causing the Celestial to stop his movements as they both nearly crumbled to the floor, their muscles starting to hurt and turn to jelly.   

‘Come on man!’ Quill wheezed, hardly able to breath properly as he let himself fall on his knees, his upper body now resting on Loki’s lap. ‘I can’t do this with a straight face with you laughing like that!’ 

‘My dearest friend,’ Loki replied, wiping a tear from his eyes, ‘You are stripping for another man, I do not think there is anything “straight” about this.’ As the Ravager looked at him with a cocky smirk, the god continued. ‘Not that I mind though.’   

‘Thought so,’ Quill shook his head as he finally managed to catch his breath. ‘Oh, hey, I think we’re almost home,’ he stood up and looked through the window and saw Earth closing in.  

'What a shame,‘ Loki chuckled, handing the shirt back. ‘Better put this back on if you would ever want to romance with Gamora again.’  

‘Yeah, guess we’ll have to continue this some other time,’ Starlord nodded as he started to get dressed.  

‘Oh, you best remember,’ Loki laughed. ‘Midgard, you owe me a striptease by a Starlord.’  

Quill put his red leather jacket back on as the large ship casually landed in the front garden of Stark Tower, one engine nearly bursting into flames from the Chitauri attack.   

‘Hey, looks like people actually missed us, huh?’ Quill remarked as he saw Thor standing outside, watching the space ship along some other Avengers.  

'Well, some people like us for more than our looks, apparently,’ Loki grinned.  

‘Really?’ Quill asked in a sarcastic voice. ‘So, there’s still hope for us?’  

‘Always, just as long as you keep your good looks, then we should be just fine.’   

‘Oh, so you only love me when I take my clothes off, huh?’ Quill said, pretending to be outraged. ‘Scandalous, Lokes.’  

‘Obviously,’ Loki countered with a seductive smirk and he closed in on the Starlord. He opened his mouth to make another remark, but was hushed by a breeze of hot summer air as the door of the vessel slowly opened. 

‘Oh well, I’ll take it,’ Quill laughed, quickly placing a hand on the trickster’s shoulder as he suddenly noticing a silhouette standing in the doorway. ‘What’s up, Thor?’ 

‘Lord of Stars,’ Thor nodded, but his attention quickly switched to the raven, ‘Brother! It is good to see you again!’ he walked in and wrapped his arms around the younger god, nearly lifting him off his feet.  

‘Well, yes, I suppose,’ Loki nodded, laughing at his brother’s exaggerated reaction, forgetting for a moment that they have been gone for nearly a week. ‘It is good to see you as well,’ he added, patting his brother on the back.  

‘There is something urgent I need to discuss with you,’ Thor said as he released his brother again.  

‘What’s wrong, big guy?’ Quill smiled, casually leaning against Loki. ‘What is it you don’t understand?’  

Thor stared at Starlord for a moment before saying anything. ‘This does not concern you, Lord of Stars. It is something between-’  

‘Hey, whatever you’ve gotta tell my man over here, you can say to the both of us.’ Quill stated confidently. 

‘Just let the man speak,’ Loki laughed, ‘or I am cancelling my striptease.’  

‘Thank you, br-,’ but as the words hit him, Thor raised a highly confused brow. ‘Wait, _striptease_?!’  

‘No way,’ Quill laughed, ‘You wouldn’t. The Peter Power has too strong a hold on you, or it’s just my sexy dance moves, or both!’  

Thor stared at the two for a moment, watching how his brother and Quill were now laughing together, almost unable to stand on their own feet anymore, their muscles sore with giggles. ‘What, what happened between the two of you on that ship…?’  

‘Nothing, brother,’ Loki said with a chuckle as he tried to catch his breath. 

‘Amaaaaaaazing things!’ Quill interrupted with a lascivious smirk before Loki could continue. ‘Really, you should have been there.’  

‘Or perhaps it was better that he was not,’ the raven said as he turned to his friend.  

‘Yeah, guess that would have been awkward,’ Quill agreed.  

‘Right...’ Thor raised a highly confused brow, moving closer to Loki. ‘Did you move on already?!’ he whispered harshly as none of this situation made sense to him.  

‘Move on?’ Loki frowned, almost drunk on his laughter, ‘My dearest brother,’ he continued, wrapping an arm around Quill’s waist, pulling him closer. ‘I merely love this man for his abs and strip abilities, nothing more.’  

‘It’s true,’ Quill said in a dramatic voice, clasping Loki closer as he raised his eyes to the heavens. ‘We are star-crossed lovers. There is no future for us.’  

‘…Well, that is a relief,’ Thor said awkwardly, ‘But really, there is something I need to tell you, it-’  

‘Okay, wait, Quill,’ Loki wheezed as he tried to catch his breath and take his distance. ‘We are on Midgard again, we should behave ourselves. No one can know about our secret.’  

‘I think he already knows, Lokes,’ Quill said as he pointed at Thor. ‘But you’re right, it’ll be our dirty little secret.’ As he walked past the trickster, he stopped for a moment. ‘Frostlord forever, huh?’ he whispered jokingly. 

For a full minute, Loki could not utter a single syllable without laughing. ‘Forever,’ he said at last, a bright smile on his face as he could properly breath again at last. ‘See you later?’  

‘I’ll be waiting!’ Quill shouted as he stumbled towards the front yard. ‘Every second apart from you is agony!’ he added as he raised his hands towards the sky. 

‘I would not say that too loud, if I were you,’ Loki laughed. ‘I think your girlfriend is out there.’ 

‘She is!’ Gamora’s voice sounded and the three saw her standing in the doorway of the spaceship. She raised a brow, her arms crossed, though she did not bother to interfere in this weird bromance she was overhearing.  

‘I love her so much,’ Quill said with a chuckle, laying a hand over his heart. ‘I’m in trouble, though. See you later, trickster.’ He wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist as they walked towards the Stark Tower together.  

‘Now, tell me brother,’ Loki said as he shook his head, his attention now finally towards the older god. ‘What is it you so desperately needed to tell me?’  

‘Right, yes, so, as I have been trying to tell you,’ Thor said as he tried to regain his focus and he and his brother walked towards the exit of the ship. ‘You see, Peter and I have talked and-’ Thor looked up as he focused on his hearing. He turned around, seeing a figure storming through the front doors of Stark Tower and racing towards them. The blond’s eyes grew wide and he quickly turned back to his brother. ‘A-alright, okay, this is what I mean, well, how do I even say this...’  

‘Thor… what is going on here?’ Loki asked hesitantly. He took a step back as he noticed the figure as well, his eyes growing wide as he immediately recognized who it was. He raised his hands and quickly turned around. ‘I suddenly remembered that I have to get off this planet.’  

‘No, brother! You do not understand!’ Thor held on to the raven’s wrist for a moment. ‘I need to tell you-’  

‘I think I understand perfectly! He is clearly angered!’ Loki shouted, pointing at Peter who was now dangerously close. ‘What did you tell him?!’ 

‘No, Loki! That is not it. He is not angered!’ Thor tried. ‘You cannot leave!’ 

Taking a deep breath, the raven pulled his wrist free, turning to the teen. ‘Yes, alright, I will face the consequences! The consequences _you_ caused!’ Loki shouted as he readied himself for impact.  

‘No, it’s not-’ Thor raised his voice, the two now shouting at each other as equals.  

‘IT’S NOT _WHAT_?!’ Loki asked, but was unable to hear the answer. A weight tackled him, taking him off-guard as lips were pressed against his own, and they fell on the ramp of the spaceship. Peter cupped the startled trickster’s face in his hands, kissing him passionately while trying to regain his breath through his nose. After a full minute, he stopped and looked at Loki, a bright smile on his face as he laughed with tears in his eyes, still panting from his run. He straddled the god’s lap, his arms tightly wrapped around his neck before looking him in the eye again. 

‘Hi!’   

‘... What...?’ was the only thing Loki could mutter, trying to grasp what just happened and why the teen was now lying on top of him on the ramp of a spacecraft. ‘WAIT A MINUTE!’ he suddenly shouted, startling both Peter and Thor. ‘WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!’ He then looked over Peter’s shoulder at his older brother. ‘This is your doing, is it not, brother? What is this? Some ill jest?!’ he asked angrily.   

‘I tried to warn you! Are you not happy?!’ Thor asked, raising his arms in innocence. ‘I thought your relationship with the Lord of Stars was a jest!’  

‘Who?’ Peter asked confused, though he made no attempt to get up, now turning his attention to Loki again. ‘Did you visit Sakaar?’  

‘Sakaar...?’ Loki frowned after which he heavily shook his head. ‘No, you bloody oaf! I would never! Now, what is it you think you are doing?!’   

‘I-uh, well,’ Peter started awkwardly, his nerves causing him to laugh sheepishly.  

‘WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!’ Loki shouted, feeling like his world was spinning as he had never felt so utterly confused.

‘Loki! You should not shout!’ Thor shouted, trying to help. 

‘You keep your mouth shut!’ Loki hissed back as he pointed at his brother. ‘This has nothing to-’  

‘Lokes!’ Peter interrupted desperately, raising his voice to make himself heard over the shouting Asgardians.  

‘WHAT?!’  

‘Shut up,’ Peter kissed the trickster again though it was more gentle this time. He placed his hands on the god’s cheeks, breathing calmly as he took in his fragrance. He waited, patiently, until he was convinced that Loki had calmed down. Leaning in closer, Peter pressed his body against the trickster's, feeling the god's warmth seeping through his clothes. At least a full minute went by before his lips finally let go of the god’s and Loki just stared at him in absolute wonder. Peter chuckled, ‘You talk too much.’  

‘... I, I do not believe I understand,’ Loki blinked, quickly taking a deep breath to collect himself. ‘I am... confused. What is going on here? How long have we been gone? What year is it?’  

Peter laughed as he finally moved away, sitting down next to his friend. ‘You’ve been away for almost a week,’ he said with a slight smile, although some worry still shone through.  

‘Ah, yes... Quite,’ Loki slowly nodded, his mind still completely blank. ‘So, you kissed me because...?’  

Peter shrugged and sighed, eventually finding the words he was looking for. ‘Because I love you, you dunce.’ He smiled, his eyes softly sparkling in the warm late noon sun. 

‘... No, you do not,’ Loki eventually replied as he sat up straight.  

‘Yes, I do,’ Peter argued back, his eyes wide in surprise.  

‘No, you do not,’ the raven stated, getting back to his feet. ‘You said so yourself, you _love_ Meya a-and you _care_ for me, remember?’  

‘Wha-?’ Peter asked in confusion, suddenly remembering his conversation with Thor. ‘Oh… OH! That, yeah, no, I love you! You _are_ Meya! You are the same person! Just in a different package.’  

The god stared at the teen for a moment longer, contemplating what he just heard, his mind finally seeming to return to him again. ‘So... you love… _me_?’  

‘Well, that _is_ what I have been trying to say here,’ Peter chuckled a bit nervously. ‘So, what do you think? I mean, I get that this is all a little overwhelming, but if y-’ 

At that moment, the teen felt two arms wrapping around his waist as the raven replied to his question with a tender and loving kiss. A voice whispering, soft and honeyed, ‘I love you too.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it!   
> Please, please let us know your thoughts on this chapter! What did you think about the, for Loki, sudden love confession?   
> At first, we thought of making this scene really heavy, emotions going everywhere. Then we were like, nah, let's do something really romantic!  
> But eventually, we settled with this, an overly happy Peter and a heavily confused Loki. 
> 
> What will come next? Love, humor, romance, fluff, maybe even some smut, just throwing some of it out there!
> 
> Anyway, thanks for spending your precious time on reading this chapter and we hope to hear from you!
> 
> PS. for those of you reading my other fic "Another Love" I am now at the last chapter... but I'm not happy with it... so I'm re-writing it... so it will take a day or two longer to post it... Sorry! ^^'


	22. Two Captains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome to a new chapter,
> 
> Sorry for making you wait so long and thank you so so so much for all the awesome comments on the precious chapter.
> 
> Hope you will enjoy this one~!

‘Tony,’ Steve started as he stood in the kitchen, a glass of water in hand. ‘I was just thinking... should we tell Peter? About, well, us?’   

‘Uh, I guess? I thought he knew?’ Tony said casually, getting a coke from the fridge.    

‘I don’t think so. I mean, he was already in his bed the night I... _attempted_ to kiss you, and I haven’t really spoken to him all that much after that.’   

Tony chuckled as the memory, which, along with the pain in his nose, came back to him. ‘Yeah, well, let’s just say your intentions were sweet. Okay, let’s tell him. I think if we follow the loud voice and pew-pew sounds of Starlord, we might find him,’ the playboy said with a smirk, Steve only now noticing the soft remnants of sound that entered the kitchen from the living room.  

‘So, there we were, our ship attacked! Invaded! There was nothing we could do but to fight!’ Quill said in a dramatic voice, moving his hands along with the story, acting out some spectacular special effects.   

Peter stared at the Ravager with wide eyes, huddling closer against Loki, while Bucky just chuckled at Quill’s performance, Starlord standing on a coffee table as he addressed his audience. Tony and Steve stopped in their pace as they saw the little group, a smile forming on their faces when they noticed Peter leaning against Loki, the two watching Quill as their fingers intertwined.   

‘Now at first, those slimy Chitauri thought they would have an easy meal on us, but they surely underestimated the power of FROST-LORD!’ Quill shouted, but he suddenly stopped as he noticed the captain and the playboy, a smile following soon after. ‘Oh hey! Want to listen to the heroic tale of the Trickster and the Starlord?’    

‘Some other time,’ Steve chuckled. ‘Can we borrow Peter for a moment?’    

‘But Quill was just about to tell us what happened to him and Lokes when the aliens attacked!’ Peter pleaded. ‘Can’t this wait until the story’s over?’   

‘Sure,’ Tony said quickly, showing Steve to a nearby chair before getting one himself. ‘Oh, by all means, continue,’ the playboy added as the whole group was watching them.    

The audience listened to the story in awe, only Loki smiling casually as he saw Quill jumping up and down on the table, dodging strikes that surely would have been lethal and punching about ten more Chitauri soldiers than he had actually fought before being captured.  

‘And then!’ Quill remained silent for a moment, holding his breath to build up ~~the~~ dramatic effect, sitting on the table on his knees. ‘I thought I was done for, people. The guy wanted Loki to kill me! KILL, you hear me?! As in dead, finito, game over. But then, Lokes released his frost powers of awesomeness and just froze that son of a-’ he stopped for a second as he saw the captain’s eyes on him, ‘-and we won! So, we partied our way home and here we are, before you, your humble space heroes.’ He finished with a deep bow, earning himself an applause from his audience.    

‘So, you two actually _were_ in danger?’ Peter managed to ask as the loud clapping and laughing slowly died.   

‘More or less,’ Loki admitted before Quill could state anything else, letting out a sigh of relief. He then looked at Quill in gratitude for not mentioning the part about him becoming an actual Frost Giant in his space epic.  

‘Told you!’ Steve and Peter said simultaneously, the teen looking at the Winter Soldier, while the captain fixed his attention on the playboy.    

‘Well, the important thing is that they’re home,’ Tony smiled quickly and he looked at the two space travelers, hoping they would continue.     

‘And that we were a-ma-zing,’ Quill noted, jumping off the table and wrapping an arm around the trickster, causing Peter to look up in surprise. ‘This guy, this guy! He is what one would define as “awesome.”’ He pulled the raven close against him as he ruffled his hair, causing Peter to nearly fall off the couch as he was still leaning against the trickster.  

‘Quill, please,’ Loki chuckled as he shook his head. ‘I might be the “awesome” one, but you, my friend, are clearly the better dancer.’   

‘True,’ Quill nodded proudly in agreement. ‘We still have to settle that score though,’ the starlord smirked as he poked Loki between his ribs, causing the god to flinch.   

‘Maybe later,’ Loki chuckled, slapping away the Ravager's lingering fingers. ‘I do not believe something like that is to be shared with others.’  

Peter stared at the two for a moment with squinted eyes, raising a highly suspecting brow as he saw the starlord’s other hand casually resting on the god’s shoulder. ‘What-’ he started to ask, but he was interrupted.  

‘So, now that the story’s over, can you come with us for a second, Peter?’ Steve asked, trying to hide his impatience.    

‘Uh, yeah, sure, no problem,’ Peter smiled as he stood up, intending to follow his two tutors, but he suddenly turned around and kissed the trickster on his lips first. ‘I’m really happy you’re home, Lokes.’   

‘...So am I,’ Loki said surprised, but a wide smile soon formed on his face as he stared into chestnut colored eyes.  

Peter followed his mentors, casting another smile at Loki before leaving the room. ‘So, what was it you wanted to talk about?’ he asked merrily.    

‘Well,’ Steve started and he looked at Tony before turning to Peter again, ‘You know what, why don’t you sit down for a moment? Here,’ he pulled back a chair from the dining table. ‘Have a seat.’    

‘Why? What’s going on?’ Peter asked as he slowly sat down on the edge of his chair, about to jump off if he needed to.    

‘There is something that Tony and I want to tell you,’ Steve nodded, his nerves making him look and sound more sternly than he intended to.    

‘Fury didn’t want to give me a contract?’ Peter sighed as he looked to the ground. ‘Man, I told him, I’m not that young, I can do it, I’m an adult now, but…’ He rubbed the back of his neck, lowering his voice again as he grumbled. ‘Yeah, whatever. No big deal...’    

‘No, kiddo, that’s not it,’ Tony chuckled as he let himself casually fall into the chair across from Peter, signaling Steve to do the same.    

‘So, I can stay?’ Peter asked with a broad smile as he looked up at his mentors again.     

‘Yes, you can stay. Now will you focus for a sec here, Pete?’ Tony asked with a sigh, poking Steve with his elbow to continue before Peter could say anything else.    

‘Oh, yeah, right,’ the captain nodded. ‘So, like we said, we wanted to talk with you about something. It’s about Tony and me...’ Steve glanced at the man he could now call his boyfriend, his heart racing before looking back at Peter again.    

‘…Oh no...’ Peter eyes grew wide. ‘No, no, no, no,’ he continued, and he stood up and started to back away from the couple.    

‘What? What’s wrong?’ Steve asked quickly as he jumped up as well, his nerves now officially getting the better of him.    

‘Are you guys fighting again?! Was one war not enough?!’ Peter asked as he started to freak out.    

‘Fighting?’ Steve looked at Tony again, who raised his shoulders.    

‘Well, it’s more like friendly wrestling, right, cap?’ Tony murmured seductively as he looked at the captain from the corner of his eye, after which Steve sighed and cast a disapproving glare at his boyfriend. He then gestured to Peter, who had stopped moving and was now watching the both of them in confusion.  

‘Call it whatever you want, Tony, but I, I can’t do this again,’ the teen continued. ‘I, I can’t pick sides again or, or fight against my friends! You can’t tear this group apart, not again! I don’t want to-’    

‘No, kid, seriously, this is something else. Steve and I are fine,’ Tony interrupted his pupil and he waited, again, for Steve to say something.    

Steve took a deep breath and sighed as he let himself fall back in his chair. ‘Peter, please sit down.’    

The teen did as he was told and looked at the captain in expectation.    

‘Okay, Peter,’ Steve took a deep breath. ‘As Tony said, we are fine, more than fine actually... w-we, uhm... So, remember that conversation we had when I brought you to bed?’ the blond eventually settled with saying, causing the playboy to roll his eyes with a deep sigh and cross his arms.     

Peter nodded, waiting for the captain to continue.    

‘Okay, so, uhm, remember how you said something about... something being “cool”?’    

‘Rogers, please don’t say “cool” like that, old people should never use the word “cool,”’ Tony sassed as he snorted, wondering how much longer this was going to take.  

Peter looked at Steve and Tony with a puzzled expression. ‘That could have been anything, Steve, we talked about a lot. What was that about again?’  

'Well, it was when, uhm,’ Steve nervously fiddled with his fingers, his eyes darting between Tony, Peter and the floor. The playboy rubbed the bridge of his nose, his patience now reaching its limit.     

‘For Heaven’s sake, Rogers,’ Tony said as he pulled the blond towards him, passionately kissing him on the mouth, before sitting back comfortably in his chair. He looked at Peter and saw him staring at the two of them with wide eyes, trying to utter some words, but nothing came out of his mouth. ‘Tah-dah?’ Tony said eventually, trying to get any sort of reaction from him.   

Steve stared at Peter for a second, noticing the teen’s hesitant reaction. ‘Listen, Peter, I’m sorry we’re taking you by surprise like this,’ the captain glared at the playboy at his side for a moment. ‘I understand if-’  

‘No, it’s fine,’ Peter said with a chuckle. ‘I was a little surprised, that’s all. So, since when is this, you two, a thing?’    

‘Since the night we talked about you and Loki,’ Steve admitted, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. ‘You know, after your little competition?’    

‘Seriously? That’s awesome! Congratulations, guys,’ Peter said happily, high-fiving Tony in his excitement.  

‘Thanks, kiddo,’ Tony smiled brightly, Steve merely nodding with a more timid smile.  

As the three men sat in an awkward silence for a while, Peter eventually stood up. ‘So, that was the news, right? Can I go back now?’   

‘Yeah, sure, go save your boyfriend from the _other_ Peter,’ Tony chuckled, signaling at the door.    

‘Pff, I don’t need to save him,’ Peter said with a confident smile, which suddenly faded. ‘What, you really think they, you know… Should I be worried? Doesn’t Quill have a girlfriend?’    

‘Well, he does, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that guy plays for both teams, if you know what I mean?’ Tony smirked, noticing the teen’s rising suspicion. ‘Plus, have you seen Gamora and Quill actually together lately?’   

‘... No,’ Peter said slowly and he looked up at his tutors with a slightly worried smile, ‘In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them together like that at all… I’ll see you guys later, okay?’    

‘Sure, Peter, good luck,’ Steve chuckled, watching the teen quickly moving outside again, agilely jumping over the furniture instead of walking around it.    

‘Thanks!’ Peter shouted after he had already left the room.     

‘Oh, he’s going to have a tough time with Lokes if he stays as gullible as that,’ Tony chuckled.    

‘Yeah,’ Steve tried to smile, but something was clearly troubling him.     

‘What is it, Rogers? Something wrong?’ Tony asked as his smile faded a little.   

‘No, it’s just... to see Peter freak out like that over the idea of another fight between us, it reminded me of the damage we’ve done to our team. I just wish there was a way to make up for that...’   

‘But the team is okay now, right?’ Tony asked slightly confused.    

‘Yes, but the scars remained,’ Steve sighed. As Tony kept looking at him with a puzzled expression, the captain chuckled and shook his head. ‘I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.’   

‘No, I get what you’re saying, I’m just wondering what we can do...’    

‘Maybe we could organize something, you know? Make some new, good memories?’ Steve suggested, at which Tony suddenly started to grin.     

‘That’s brilliant, Rogers! And I know just the thing.’ He kissed the captain full on his lips, ‘time for the Avengers to assemble!’


	23. Settling the Score

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So first of all, so sorry for the long waiting! It's December and it's a bit of a chaos here XD (maybe some of you can relate)
> 
> Christmas vacation is almost here and we are planning to work very hard on this fic during that period of time and maybe even finish it :D (don't worry though, there are still a lot of chapters to come XD)
> 
> Anyway, that being said, we would like to let you know that in the upcoming weeks, our posting might be a little off-schedule, but we just wanted to let you know that we're working very hard on that!
> 
> Now, without further ado,
> 
> here's the next chapter ^^

 

‘Lokes?’ Peter knocked on the trickster’s door, waiting for an answer, but as it remained silent, he tried again. ‘Lokes, you in there? Steve asked me to call everyone downstairs, so... you know, we gotta go.’  

  

As he softly opened the door, he thought he saw Loki standing by the window, but he soon noticed that it was only his royal Asgardian battle tunic, carefully displayed on a mannequin.  

  

Peter tilted his head slightly, watching how the golden helmet shone brightly in the morning sun. He glanced into the room one more time before tiptoeing in and grabbing the piece of armory from its stand. ‘I just want to try this one time,’ he whispered with a grin, and he placed the helmet on, soon finding that it was particularly designed for the trickster’s head shape as it constantly blocked his eyes or annoyed him otherwise. With a chuckle, the teen took it off again, now staring at the rest of the tunic. ‘Maybe this will fit better...’ he whispered, turning around and closing the door. ‘I’m sure Lokes won’t mind.’ 

  

As he was busy figuring out how he was supposed to put the tunic on, he had not noticed the trickster’s eyes peering at him. ‘Peter? What are you doing?’  

  

Peter looked into a tall mirror, only now noticing the trickster leaning in the doorway behind him. ‘AAH-HEY LOKES!’ he shouted, louder than he had anticipated. He turned around, nearly tripping over the legs of the leather trousers he was trying to put on. ‘So, what, uhm, where, where were you?’ he continued as he casually crossed his arms, the pants now slightly falling down his hips again, revealing soft blue shorts underneath. 

  

The trickster chuckled as he looked the teen up and down. ‘It looks quite good on you,’ he said as he tried not to burst out in laughter. ‘Clearly, you are familiar with Asgardian garments.’ 

  

‘What? You mean this?’ Peter scoffed, ‘Yeah, you know, just uhm... just, I, I don’t...’ he then looked up in slight desperation and sighed. ‘Why is your suit so complicated? Why all the layers and straps and zippers and... whatever these are!’ he gestured at all the black and green fabric around his body that was completely tangled up, the golden armory nowhere near where they were supposed to be.   

  

‘Because I am a complicated person, Peter, I thought you had figured that out by now,’ Loki chuckled. ‘would you like some help?’ he then asked with a pitiful smile, hiding it behind his hand until he managed a straight face again.  

  

‘Yes, your highness, it seems like I require your aid. Will you be so generous as to help this humble mortal?’ Peter murmured with a smirk, giving up on trying to get the suit on by himself.   

  

‘Uhm, okay, let’s see… Oh my, you really did make a mess. So that strap goes over there,’ Loki pointed out, remaining where he stood. ‘And that little strap over there, no, the other one, yes that one, that is supposed to cross over-’  

  

‘Can you come over here already?!’ Peter asked as he started to get annoyed, fiddling with the straps and buckles.  

  

The trickster laughed and walked over to the teen, helping him put on the outfit which took him at least twice as long as usual now that Peter had managed to get everything all tangled up. ‘There you are, a true god of mischief.’ A proud smile formed on the trickster’s face as he maneuvered Peter over to a tall mirror. ‘See?’ 

  

Peter stared at his reflection, his eyes peering just beneath the brim of the helmet. ‘... I look ridiculous,’ he said with a beaten-down chuckle. ‘This suit really doesn’t fit me at all.’ He then tried to move around, doing a backflip on the spot, causing the helmet to fly off. ‘Seriously, Lokes, how can you move around in this? All this leather is really heavy and it’s so...’ Peter stopped, trying to move again. ‘… uncomfortable.’   

 

‘It is not for everyone,’ Loki said with a shrug, ‘I believe it to be quite comfortable once you are used to it. And when it is the right size, of course,’ he added with a chuckle, noticing how the clothes hung loosely around the teen’s limbs.  

  

‘Well, I’d give you my suit to try on, you know, just so you can experience what a _real_ super suit feels like, but I don’t think it will fit.’ Peter thought about this for a second. ‘Hey, do you think this would fall under roll-play or cosplay? We should go to some sort of con together, dressed as each other.’  

  

‘Though I very much like the idea of roll-play,’ Loki started with a seductive grin, ‘I am afraid I do not know what this “cosplay” is. However, concerning the outfit…’ he smirked and closed his eyes for a second, changing his clothes into the iconic red and blue Spider-man suit. There. What do you think?’ The trickster looked in the mirror, glancing at Peter now and then. He took a steady pose but then quickly took off the mask as he nearly gasped for air. ‘How do you breathe through this thing?’ he asked staring at the glazy white eyes of the mask, his hair now tousled and fuzzy. ‘Talk about uncomfortable…’  

  

‘Oh my God, Lokes! That looks so cool!’ Peter said with a wide smile, laughing right after. ‘It really, it is, uhm... It’s definitely something different.’   

  

‘It is so tight,’ Loki’s voiced in a hot breath, taking the spandex-like fabric between his fingers and allowing it to bounce back against his stomach, causing Peter to turn a bright shade of red at hearing these words coming from the god’s deep and soothing voice. ‘I cannot believe you voluntarily walk around in these tight pajamas. You can hardly call it clothing at all…’   

  

‘Well, you uh, you know...’ Peter stammered a little, admiring the god’s body. The suit wrapped perfectly around all the trickster’s curves and muscles, showing off his long legs, a fine waist and strong arms. ‘It’s uhm... It’s not for everyone.’  

  

The god looked at himself in the mirror again, twisting and bending his body as he tried to get used to the spandex and he chuckled. ‘Yes. Well, tights run in your super family, love. If Steven was not Captain America already, he might have worn this himself.’  

  

Peter looked at the raven with a questioning gaze at first, but then smiled brightly and nodded. ‘Oh, yeah? Well, at least mine is easy to take off. It would take me ages to undress you,’ he remarked with a sly grin. 

 

‘I beg your pardon?’ Loki said with a surprised chuckle. ‘What wild plans are you scheming, Parker?’  

 

‘Oh, you have no idea,’ Peter smirked, his face now hovering close to that of the trickster. ‘Want to find out?’ he asked as he wrapped his arms around the trickster’s neck, pressing kisses against the soft skin on his jawline. 

 

Loki smiled, his thin spandex layer which separated the two felt almost nonexistent. He wrapped one arm around the teen’s waist, taking his chin between his thumb and forefinger and made Peter look up at him. ‘What if I would?’ he asked tauntingly, pressing his lips against those of the teen. ‘Surely you would not-’  

 

But before the raven could finish his sentence, Peter leant in heavily, causing the both of them to fall on the soft bed which protested heavily with a loud squeaking noise coming from its springs. As the trickster looked at Peter in surprise, the teen smirked. ‘I would surely not, what, Lokes?’ he whispered in the trickster’s ear with a seductive grin, following his sweet comment with tender kisses in the god’s neck.  

  

As the raven arched his back in pleasure, he could not help but think of something. ‘Are you certain you want to go this fast, Peter?’ Loki managed to ask as he could not suppress a soft moan. ‘Surely you have not forgotten last time? When the scenario was something more like this?’ 

 

But as nothing seemed to happen, Peter tilted his head. ‘What do you mean?’ the teen asked but his eyes grew wide as he heard his own voice. It sounded... strange, unfamiliar. He coughed and tried again. ‘What d-’ Noticing his voice hadn’t changed back, he looked at the trickster in confusion.  

  

‘Look into the mirror,’ Loki said with a wide grin, his hands now resting on Peter’s hips.  

  

Peter did as he was told and got off the bed. His eyes grew even wider as he stared at his reflection. He was wearing a long dark blue dress, black heels underneath. His hair curled over his shoulders, shining softly in the morning sun. He had changed... into a girl?!  

 

‘What did you do, man?’ Peter asked confused, staring at his reflection while touching his hair and his dress. ‘This is so weird.’  

  

‘But Peter,’ the trickster smirked, his face now close to that of the teen as he stood behind him, his arms wrapped around his, no, her waist and he whispered in her ear as he tried to hold back his laugh, ‘You look ravishing.’   

  

With his mind completely blank, Peter remained silent as his eyes were still frantically scanning his mirror image.  

  

‘Also, you look quite cute like this. I might keep you this way for a while,’ Loki laughed, placing a kiss in the teen’s neck. ‘What should we call you? Petra? Penelope? No, I got it, Penny! Yes, that is just perfect.’  

  

‘Lokes, you ass! Turn me back, right now!’ Peter shouted, almost losing his balance as he turned around on the high heels. He glared at the trickster, punching the trickster’s shoulder. 

  

‘Oh, you know what, Penny? This Spider-man suit might not be much of an outfit, but for what it is worth, it does not slow one down!’ Loki gave her a quick peck on her lips and then dashed from the room not being able to hold down his laughter any longer.  

  

‘HEY! GET BACK HERE!’ the teen shouted frantically, following the trickster. 

  

‘Try and catch me, Penny!’ the raven laughed, passing several Avengers as he made his way to the living room.  

  

‘Wow, what was that?’ Sam asked as he stared after whom he thought was Peter. ‘What’s up with the kid?’ 

  

‘I, I don’t know,’ Bucky responded, equally confused. ‘But isn’t Peter... smaller?’  

  

The two turned around as they heard high heels clicking down the hallway.  

  

‘Sorry, Mister Barnes, coming through!’ the brunette shouted, nearly bumping into the Winter Soldier as she chased after the trickster. ‘Lokes! Change me back!’ he shouted, his eyes still locked on his boyfriend. 

  

‘Pete!’ Bucky shouted after the teen. As the girl turned around, Bucky snorted and gestured towards her feet, ‘You run a lot faster without those things.’  

  

Peter looked down and took off his heels. ‘Thanks!’ he shouted and he continued his pursuit.  

  

‘How did you know that?’ Sam asked confused. ‘About the heels, how did you know? You got experience with those things?’   

  

Bucky squinted his eyes and looked at the Falcon. ‘You really want to know the answer to that question?’   

  

‘... I, I thought I did, but now I'm not sure,’ Sam chuckled and shook his head.  

  

‘Yeah, think about that for a little longer,’ Bucky warned him as he walked towards the conference room, leaving a confused Sam behind, who now saw Loki, still in the Spider-man suit, running across the front lawn, followed closely by a teenage girl in a prom dress. 

  

‘Damn it Lokes! Change me back!’ Peter shouted, throwing the high heels at the raven’s head.   

  

‘I do not “magic” without the magic password!’ Loki kept running, his laughter causing him to run out of breath.  

  

‘Change me back NOW or I’ll make sure you will be wearing spandex for the rest of your life!’ Peter shouted angrily, increasing his speed and reaching out to grab his boyfriend by his wrist. 

  

Suddenly, the trickster stopped running and turned around, causing Peter to almost crash into his arms. Loki placed his hands on Peter’s cheeks and kissed the teen, turning his body back to his normal self again. ‘Now we are even,’ he smirked.  

  

Not being able to stay mad at the trickster for long, Peter decided to just cast him a smile. ‘Yeah, okay, you got me there.’ He chuckled, pressing his lips against those of the raven. They both turned around, wanting to go back into Stark Tower, but their eyes grew wide as they only now realized that they were standing in front of the glass wall of the conference room, where all the other Avengers had already assembled.   

  

The two stared at their friends for a moment, the colors of their faces now matching perfectly with the Spider-man suit Loki was still wearing.   

  

‘Lokes...’ Peter whispered through his clenched teeth.   

  

‘Yes?’ Loki replied, trying to sound casual as he smiled and waved at Tony and Steve, who looked at them in complete wonder.  

  

‘I am still wearing a FREAKING DRESS!’ he grumbled.  

  

‘Oh, my bad,’ Loki chuckled, but before he did anything, a painful smile appeared on his face. ‘Uh, Peter?’  

  

‘What?!’ Peter hissed softly, noticing how most of the Avengers inside had already burst into laughter.  

  

‘If I drop the disguise I casted on you, people will see you wearing my battle tunic,’ Loki said hesitantly, ‘Are you okay with that or-’  

  

‘Just-!’ Peter wanted to snap, but he took a deep breath and looked at the grass beneath his bare feet. ‘Anything but the dress, please.’  

  

‘Understood,’ and without any movement, Loki let the disguise of Seiðr ebb from the teen’s body, causing the Avengers to laugh even harder or just stare even more surprised as they now saw the teen in the raven’s battle tunic. ‘So... what do you think? We could flee to Europe and never speak of this moment again?’ Loki suggested. 

 

 Peter glared at his boyfriend for a moment, after which he took a deep breath. ‘Nah, let’s just go inside.’ As the teen started to walk, he smirked. ‘Lokes?’ 

 

‘Yes?’ the trickster asked, still slightly taken aback as he slowly started to follow the teen.   

 

‘If you ever tire of that battle tunic of yours, you should really consider wearing spandex. You got a good butt for it.’ 

 

 _‘_ I- I’ve got a-?’ Loki started to ask, but as the sentence landed, he looked at his body in surprise, the red color on his cheeks only increasing. ‘Yeah, okay, never mind. Let’s just get ourselves inside.’ 


	24. Avengers Assemble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome back!
> 
> I just wanted to tell you that I'll try to draw a spider-man Loki, an Asgardian Peter and a female version of Peter before posting chapter 25.  
> So for all of you who would like to know what this would look like, please hang in there a few more days and I'll post it on my DeviantArt account! :D
> 
> That being said, here's chapter 24 :D

 

‘Great, now that everyone’s assembled,’ Steve started, glancing at the couple that had just walked in. ‘We can finally start this meeting.’    

‘Sorry,’ Peter casted everyone an apologetic smile as he stood in the door opening of the conference room, the red blush returning on his cheeks again as he heard some of the Avengers chuckle and snort. He looked at the god at his side and, seeing how he was just standing there, nudged him to follow his lead and apologize.       

‘Oh, yes,’ Loki said, making a quick bow. 'My sincere apologies, Captain.’      

‘That’s okay,’ Steve nodded with a smile. ‘So, now that-’     

‘Hey, Jack Frost! You can sit here with us!’ Quill suddenly shouted at Loki, gesturing at the free seat between himself and the Winter Soldier.   

‘Thank you, Quill,’ Loki chuckled as he sat down between his friends, not noticing Peter’s slightly suspicious eyes following him.    

‘You can sit over here, Pete,’ Tony smiled kindly as the teen looked around him with a lost expression.    

'Right,’ Steve said as everyone was finally seated. ‘So anyway, we have assembled here today, because Tony and I want to tell you guys something.’   

‘You two getting married already?!’ Falcon shouted, causing the room to laugh.  

‘Yup, and you’re all not invited,’ Tony quickly responded and he laughed, now taking the captain’s hand in his own.   

‘No, Sam,’ Steve said with a chuckle, kindly reclaiming his hand before the playboy could kiss it. ‘No, it’s something else. Listen, we know we haven’t been the best of captains to you guys, or friends, for that matter. Our conflict over the Sokovia Accords nearly tore this team apart...’ Steve stopped for a moment, making sure to look around the room, his eyes darting to Bucky for a second who averted his eyes from the captain’s gaze, ‘And we’re sorry for that.’    

‘We all made our own choices, Cap,’ Scott interrupted, earning himself some nods from his fellow-Avengers. He then smiled at the blond who was standing at the head of the table, ‘And we all take responsibility for our own actions.’     

‘Thank you, Scott,’ Steve smiled gratefully. ‘You guys might not even realize how relieved we are that we could not break this team apart. That, in the end, despite fights and differences, we are _all_ Avengers. But we want to do something to help us all connect as a team again, ‘cause we will need each other in future battles.’ The captain looked around the room as he fell silent for a second, his attention then shifting to the man next to him. ‘Now, would you like to say something, Tony?’    

The playboy nodded and stood up, switching places with the captain. ‘Cap’s right. We messed up. And now we want to give something back to you guys. So, I talked it over with Fury this afternoon and, well, with some funding from myself, we have decided to send our entire team on a short holiday.’   

At this, the Avengers cheered and started to chat amongst themselves immediately.  

‘About time,’ Clint smirked, looking at Bucky who was sitting next to him. ‘I always wanted to go to the Bahamas.’     

‘Bahamas?’ Thor frowned as he overheard their conversation, but then turned to his brother in excitement. ‘Brother, remember that one island we used to read about in mother’s books when we were little? What was it? Hawiewie?’    

‘No, no, not Ha _wiewie_ , you oaf,’ Loki chuckled. ‘It is pronounced Ha _whywhy_.’     

‘Uh, actually it’s Hawaii,’ Bruce carefully interrupted, raising his voice so he would be heard over the laughter of his fellow Avengers. ‘I mean, if we’re talking about the same island, of course.’    

The two godly brothers stared at him for a moment and then continued to talk about the island as if nothing had happened.    

‘I’ll agree to anything,’ Quill said as he almost raised his hand in excitement. ‘Just as long as Stark’s paying,’ he added with a chuckle.    

‘Why are _you_ here anyway?’ Natasha frowned with a slightly confused chuckle. ‘You weren’t even here when Sokovia happened.’    

‘Yeah, well, I do have to deal with the aftermath, I mean, look at this guy,’ the Guardian then wrapped a caring arm around the trickster at his side, causing Loki to look up in surprise. ‘I have to mentally support this poor man through all the trauma he suffered from _your_ fight. I mean, look at his face! Isn’t this the face of someone who’s in agony?’ he asked desperately as the raven now cast him a highly annoyed glare, at which Bucky snorted loudly.     

‘Yeah, he’s definitely suffering,’ the Winter Soldier agreed as he was now plainly laughing at Loki’s irritated expression.   

‘But, Loki wasn’t here during the fight either,’ Wanda remarked kindly.    

‘…So? He still suffers from the consequences! We all do!’ Quill continued. ‘What if! What if we make a tour through Europe, huh? Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, London, everything! We can just take the jet!’    

‘I, I was thinking of something more... local? Like, in the U.S., maybe?’ Tony tried, already regretting his generosity. ‘Did any of you hear the “short” part when I said “short vacation?”    

‘Oh! That’s cool too!’ Peter said with a bright smile, his eyes then widening as he gasped loudly and grabbed his mentor’s wrist. ‘WE COULD ALL GO TO DISNEYLAND!’    

‘Yeah, no, then I could just as well take you all to the Bahamas, Pete,’ Tony said with a chuckle as prices were already flashing before his eyes.     

‘But... Disneyland,’ Peter sighed, ‘Okay, but, what did _you_ guys have in mind?’    

‘I was thinking that maybe we could all go camping?’ Steve suggested, causing the entire room to fall completely silent. ‘…There is a big national park a few hours from here. We could just set up camp there and have fun, right?’ he continued cautiously.  

‘Steve,’ Tony took a deep breath and looked at his boyfriend, ‘Camping? Did you just seriously suggest _camping_?!’    

‘Camping would be great!’ Peter shouted happily, some of the other Avengers joining in his enthusiasm, while others shook their heads or remained silent.   

‘Do you guys think that we for once could all agree on something?’ Steve asked as he looked around the divided room. ‘I’m trying to mend bonds here, not break ‘em.’   

‘I got an idea,’ Bucky sighed. ‘Everyone in favor of camping, raise your hand.’   

As he said this, about half of the people present raised their hands, some others still hesitating.    

Tony started to count votes, ‘One, two, three, four, fi- Peter, don’t raise two hands! You count as one vote, thank you,’ he sighed and continued as the teen lowered one hand in disappointment.     

‘Thor, what are you doing?’ Loki whispered, noticing his brother raising his hand in excitement. ‘You do not even know what camping is like on Midgard!’    

‘Aye, I do not, but it sounds most enjoyable,’ the god smiled brightly.     

‘Okay,’ Bucky snorted, looking at the betrayed expression of the trickster next to him. ‘Now, all of you _against_ , raise a hand.’    

Tony sighed, being the first to raise his hand, earning himself a surprised look from the captain. ‘Oh, come on, don’t look at me like that, Rogers.’    

‘Well, that’s a promising start,’ Steve chuckled and he looked around, finding that besides Tony only Rocket, Rhodey, and Loki resolutely opposed the idea, while Vision’s hand was still wavering in the air.    

‘You don’t want to go camping, Viz?’ Wanda asked her boyfriend in surprise.   

‘It’s not that I don’t want to, it just does not seem to match up to earlier offers,’ Vision explained hesitantly. ‘Besides, I do not quite understand why people like camping in the first place.’    

‘You will,’ Wanda said with a smile, softly lowering his hand for him. ‘Don’t worry.’     

‘Uh, okay,’ Steve chuckled, watching how Vision kept his hand down with a puzzled expression while Wanda smiled. ‘All opposed, why do you oppose?’ Steve continued as he looked around.    

‘You seriously have to ask, Blondie?’ Rocket scoffed as he crossed his arms. ‘I already have to live in a small spaceship with these farting guys,’ he pointed at Drax and Groot. ‘I’m not gonna trade it for an even smaller tent!’     

‘I am Groot!’ Groot reacted agitatedly.    

‘What?! That’s not true!’ Rocket tried to counter him.    

‘He’s got a point,’ Drax said. ‘You _do_ fart in your sleep.’    

‘And now everyone knows, thank you, Drax,’ Rocket sighed as he face-palmed himself. ‘Fine, just make it worth my time, okay? Otherwise, I’m outta here.’    

The two captains now looked at Rhodey, Steve kindly awaiting his explanation, while Tony urgently glared at him.   

‘Uh, I’m just not a huge fan of camping,’ Rhodey explained. ‘But I’m a team player, so if everyone wants to go, I won’t complain, but it’s just not my first choice.’    

The captain nodded with a content smile, while Tony threw his hands in the air in frustration and sighed.     

With almost all the odds now in favor of camping, all eyes focused on the raven, who did not seem to be willing to give in. ‘As a prince of Asgard, you expect me to delight in the prospect of living in a shabby tent with all of you? Lacking privacy, personal space and setting mankind back to the Stone Age?’    

‘Thank you!’ Tony shouted, causing everyone to look up in surprise. This just might be the first time the two ever agreed on anything so strongly. Steve managed to suppress a chuckle as he realized that the two could now at least bond over their mutual hatred for camping. Oh well, it’s something.   

‘Do not be such a stick in the mud, brother,’ Thor said, hanging over Quill to slap his brother on the back. ‘It will be fun! The outdoors will do you good.’     

‘The outdoors will be the end of me, especially when I have to share it with you,’ Loki grumbled. ‘This sounds even worse than the prophecy of Ragnarok…’   

‘Oh, come on, Trickster,’ Quill laughed, wrapping a strong arm around the god’s shoulder. ‘The pirate angel is right, it will be fun, we can share a tent, just you and me!’     

‘Yeah, you would like that, wouldn’t you?’ Peter mumbled annoyed as he crossed his arms.   

Loki chuckled as he looked at the two Peters. ‘Tempting as that may sound, I am afraid I have to decline.’    

‘But Lokes, camping is so much fun!’ Peter now tried, taking advantage of his puppy eyes. ‘The trees, blue skies, the fresh smell of the forests at dawn, doesn’t that sound lovely?’   

‘The bugs crawling all over my skin and biting, drinking from plastic mugs, sleeping on the cold ground in a zipped-up blanket… Rain,’ Loki remarked unimpressed, crossing his arms. ‘Yes, truly lovely, Peter.’   

‘Nah, I’m sure it won’t be _that_ bad,’ Peter scoffed, before looking Loki into his eyes with a begging expression. ‘Please, Lokes?’   

‘NO!’ Tony shouted, causing everyone to look up in surprise. ‘No, no, no, I won’t let you do this, Pete! Or you, Steve, oh we are _so_ not done talking about this, mister!’ Tony said frantically.  

‘Come on, Tony, it won’t be that bad,’ Steve tried with a smile.    

‘No, Cap, I’m not going,’ Tony crossed his arms, his expression now matching with that of the trickster. ‘And that’s final.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I almost forgot!
> 
> To all our dearest readers, to each and everyone who takes time out of their busy schedule to read this fic, we would like to say the following:
> 
> It is time for a party  
> And presents and things  
> To make our loved ones happy  
> And give their hearts wings! 
> 
> Ladies and gentlemen, it's Christmas and may your days be merry and white.  
> Also, if you are out of white, try moving on to the red wine like I do ;)
> 
> We wish you all a fun, loving, merry, happy, healthy fan-fic filled Christmas!


	25. Bunk-buddies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> We would like to give all of you a little (and late) Christmas present! :D  
> So what better to give to you all than a new chapter of this fic. :)
> 
> Dearest readers, we are very happy to see that you all survived the Christmas holidays and we hope to see you again after new year!

 

‘I hate camping,’ Tony murmured under his breath as he tried to hammer a tent peg into the ground, hitting the tip wrong, which caused the peg to bend. ‘Sure, yeah, why not?’ he grumbled.   

‘Uh, Tony?’ Steve asked hesitantly.  

‘What, Rogers?’    

‘Uh, I’m happy to see that you’re setting up the tent, but… I think this is the topsail.’ The captain remarked carefully as he placed his hand on the playboy’s shoulder. ‘We should _first_ set up the tent itself and _then_ you throw this sail _over_ it and _then_ you pin it down. It’s, it’s not supposed to be _under_ the tent…’   

The playboy looked up in disbelief, staring from the blond to the few pegs he had managed to drill into the ground. ‘Okay, you know what, I’m done,’ Tony threw the hammer on the ground. ‘I’ll just see if I can do something else, anything.’ he said just a little too loud in his irritation.  

‘Sorry, Tony,’ Steve chuckled softly, feeling bad for the man nonetheless, he tore out the pegs before laying out the right sail and started to pin it down again.   

‘Camping will be fun, he said,’ Tony grumbled as he walked over to one of the vans he had rented. ‘It’s good for teambuilding, he said. Yeah, hammering those damn pegs into the ground does wonders for my blood pressure! Here, look at my arm, I already got bitten by something!’ he said a little louder, looking back at Steve, who was now setting up the tent with some help from other Avengers. ‘SERIOUSLY?!’ Tony shouted, causing the group to look up. ‘I asked you to help me thirty minutes ago and no one came but now you’re helping _him_?!’   

‘We were busy, Tony,’ Natasha explained with a smirk. ‘You know, setting up the other _four_ tents?’   

‘Oh, but you’re magically done with those the moment Cap moves as much as a muscle, huh? How unsuspicious!’ Tony shouted agitatedly, now turning towards Steve, who was looking at him with a pitiful smile. ‘Great teambuilding, Cap, I can feel the love.’ The playboy then sighed as he opened the door of the biggest van and looked through the countless bags, filled to the brim with groceries. ‘Uh, Cap?’    

‘Yeah?’ Steve shouted in reply while trying to set up the tent, correcting some of Tony’s mistakes.   

‘Where’s the scotch?’   

‘Uh, it should be in one of the bags, the plastic ones.’    

‘It’s not here, Rogers,’ Tony said highly annoyed. 

‘Oh, well then I must have forgotten about it, sorry,’ Steve answered while putting the last tentpole in place. He looked at the result with a content smile, high-fiving Clint and Natasha as he did so.   

The playboy inhaled deeply as he cast a deadly glare at his boyfriend and he grasped a broccoli from one of the grocery bags. Not able to stop himself, he threw the vegetable at the captain with as much force as he had, only growing more annoyed as the broccoli gently thudded against Steve’s head, causing the captain to turn around in surprise.    

‘What did I tell you about valuing food, Tony?’ Steve said with an annoyed smile as he picked up the broccoli.   

‘WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT BRINGING THE _VALUABLE_ SCOTCH, _STEVE_?!’ Tony shouted, facepalming himself. ‘That stuff was supposed to get me through this weekend! It was supposed to keep me warm at night, BECAUSE THERE IS NO FREAKING CENTRAL HEATING! What do you want me to do now?! Sleep with my socks on?!’  

Steve walked over to his exploding boyfriend with an empathic smile. ‘I can keep you warm at night?’ he offered kindly, taking one of the playboy’s hands in his own, but Tony frantically pushed him away and took a step back.   

‘I don’t want _you_ to keep me warm, Cap! I don’t want Steve Rogers, I want Jack Daniels!’   

The blond sighed as he now looked his boyfriend in the eye. ‘Does it really mean _that_ much to you?’ 

‘No,’ Tony answered short, taking a deep breath, ‘No, I don’t have a _drinking_ problem, if that is what you’re implying!’ he squinted his eyes, poking Steve against his chest. ‘I have a _camping_ problem.’    

‘You will be fine, Tony, I promise,’ Steve said, trying to hush his raging boyfriend. ‘Just _try_ to have a little fun, okay? I’m sure you’ll like the outdoors once you get used to it.   

Tony stared the captain, suddenly noticing some of the Avengers behind him chuckling and snorting. ‘… If you will excuse me, I’m going to take this broccoli to the lake, throw it in there and shout at it from a distance. I’ll be back before dinner.’ He snatched the vegetable from the captain and paced into the woods, still grumbling some curses.   

From a distance, Natasha and Bruce had been watching the fight and Bruce shook his head. ‘I really thought Tony was going to kill Cap for a second. It surprises me that he, all in all, took it so well. I wonder how Steve managed to convince him to come along.’    

At this, Widow chuckled, her eyes on Steve, who was still watching Tony disappear into the woods. ‘Yes, I wonder,’ she said with a smirk.  

‘What? You know anything?’ Bruce asked with a questioning smile as the spy’s grin grew wider.   

‘I might have overheard something, but you’ll find out soon enough,’ The woman tore her gaze from the captain, her eyes now focused on the scientist and glimmering with mischievous.  

‘Uhm, okay, is, is this something that I want to know, or...?’    

‘You’ll see,’ she nodded, casting a quick glance at the captain before gathering her own bags from the van.  

‘Yeah… I guess,’ Bruce finally shook his head, giving up on the subject and following the spy to the van.   

As the tents had all been set up, Steve asked everyone to assemble around the campfire place, which was just a heap of ash, surrounded by a circle of small rocks, which was in turn surrounded by a bigger circle of tree trunk benches and plastic camping chairs.     

‘Is everyone here?’ Steve asked with a beaming smile, looking around, but his face became clouded as he noticed they were one person short. ‘Where’s Tony?’  

‘He is still screaming at a vegetable near the lakeside, I think,’ Loki replied with a shrug, pointing over to where Tony had disappeared into the woods. ‘I have yet to see him return, anyway.’    

‘I see...’ Steve let out a sigh, ‘Then we’ll just have to start without him. Okay, so I’ve noticed that there’s some confusion about who’s staying in which tent, so I’ve drawn up a list.’ As the blond said this, he held a notepad into the air. As some Avengers started to murmur and whisper, the Captain straightened his back and continued, reading up the list in hand. ‘So, tent number _one_ : Natasha, Wanda, Mantis and Gamora. Tent _two_ : Thor, Loki, Bruce and Scott. Tent _three_ : Rhodey, Sam, Clint and Vision. Tent _four_ : Rocket, Groot, Drax and Quill. Tent number _five_ will be Tony, Peter, Bucky and myself. Any questions?’    

‘Uhm, Steve,’ Wanda started, respectfully raising her hand while her fellow-teammates started to murmur and mumble. ‘Why are all the women in one tent?’ She then looked at Vision for support, but the humanoid raised his shoulders.    

‘Well, because I think it is a good idea to sleep in separate tents, men and women, and since we unfortunately only have four women on our team, they are all in the same tent,’ Steve replied hesitantly, wondering why Wanda even had to ask.    

‘Don’t worry, Witch, it will be fun!’ Mantis said cheerfully. ‘We can tell each other stories, or gossip about boys, like how Samuel has great legs, but the pirate angel obviously has much better arms.’ She then looked at Sam and Thor, who stared at each other's limbs with a slightly uncomfortable air.   

‘I don’t mean that I would mind,’ Wanda assured Mantis with a smile before turning back to Steve, ‘but, well, Vision and I are together and we always sleep in the same room, so it just sounds weird for me to sleep apart.’    

‘Hey, wait a minute!’ Sam interrupted. ‘She’s got a point, Cap. She and Vision are a couple and they don’t sleep in the same tent, neither do Bruce and Natasha-’ He looked over at his two colleagues, ‘You are couple, right?’    

‘Oh, no, we are- we're not,’ Bruce started nervously, but as he looked into the assassin's grey eyes he just sheepishly smiled.     

‘…Anyway,’ Sam continued hastily. ‘My point is, why can’t they sleep in the same tent, but you and Tony can?’    

‘I agree with Sam,’ Peter said determinedly, crossing his arms as he stood next to Falcon. ‘I think we should each choose our own bunk-buddies.’    

‘Really?’ Steve asked slightly taken aback, crossing his arms as well. ‘Alright, is there anyone else who would like to switch places?’    

‘I want to be in the same tent as Ice Ice Baby over here!’ Quill said as he nudged Loki, raising his hand in the air to make sure the captain noticed him.   

‘Am I the only one who finds it strange that he shouts Loki’s name before Gamora’s?’ Clint whispered softly towards Scott, who was hardly able to suppress his snort.     

‘Well, Gamora and I always sleep in separate rooms for privacy’s sake,’ Quill kindly explained as he overheard Clint. ‘And I respect that,’ he quickly added as he looked over to Gamora, who facepalmed herself, wondering what she could do to shut her boyfriend’s mouth right away besides punching him unconscious.    

‘Uh, right, sure Quill.’ Peter smiled with effort, then turning his attention towards the captain again. ‘Also, Steve, I don’t mind sharing a tent with you guys, but I don’t know whether Tony will be happy with the idea of sharing a tent with Bucky...’    

‘Why wouldn’t he be?’ Steve sighed a little confused. ‘We already sleep in the same house, what’s the difference?’ At this, people started to snigger and murmur, causing the captain to look up again. ‘Anyone else got anything to say?’ he asked, a little louder this time, his patience ebbing away more and more with every snort and chuckle.    

‘Why am I on “tent fart”?’ Rocket asked, gesturing at his companions. ‘I specifically said that I did not want to share a tent with those wind turbines!’     

‘I am Groot!’ Groot protested grumpily.    

‘You watch your mouth, young man!’ Rocket replied angrily, pointing at the plant.    

‘Okay, you know what?’ Steve said highly agitated, though he managed to recompose himself as he took a deep breath. ‘Everyone, choose your own team and your own tent. Free for all.’ The captain then grabbed his backpack and walked towards the first tent, grumbly throwing his bag in through the entrance.    

‘What you say, Lokes? We could share a tent?’ Peter asked cheerily.    

‘That sounds like a splendid idea,’ Loki agreed, then quickly casting a glance at his original tent-mates. ‘No disrespect.’    

‘Anyone else who wants to be on our tent?’ the teen asked enthusiastically as he smiled at Bucky and quickly gestured him to join them.   

‘Me!’ Quill shouted, already picking up his bag, but quickly turning to Gamora before heading for the tent. ‘Are you okay with this or would you rather-’    

‘Just go, Quill,’ Gamora said as she rolled her eyes, picking up her bag. Quill flinched as she did so, expecting the bag to hit his face, but instead he was pulled forward by a strong hand and he felt a pair of lips touch his own. Confused he opened his eyes and looked at his girlfriend. ‘Just remember that,’ Gamora said as she walked over to her tent, not looking back. ‘Mantis?’   

‘Yes!’ Mantis replied happily, picking up her iridescent silver bag as she ran after her friend.    

‘I’m joining the girls-scout,’ Clint smiled as he happily followed the two girls, who turned around with a questioning expression. ‘If these two lovely ladies will allow me, of course.’    

‘Of course!’ Mantis replied enthusiastically. ‘The more the merrier! Anyone else?’   

‘Yeah, I’m joining your squad,’ Natasha said, throwing her bag inside the tent without waiting for permission.    

‘Yay!’ Mantis shouted, nearly hugging Natasha, but as soon as she touched her arm, the Guardian froze, staring at the assassin in confusion as she felt her hesitant emotions. ‘Sorry.’    

‘That’s okay, I’m just not the hugging type,’ Natasha smiled, after which Mantis skipped about again as if nothing had happened.    

In the meantime, Thor wrapped a strong arm around Bruce’s shoulders. ‘I, for one, was quite content with the initial plan. Shall we share a tent, my fellow-Revenger?’    

‘Uh, yeah, sure,’ Bruce said with an awkward smile, casting a quick glance at Natasha as he sighed.    

‘Yeah, I’ll join the pirate angel.’ Rocket walked over to Thor, carrying one bag of necessities, and one bag of guns and ammunition.    

‘So, there’s still room for me, right?’ Scott asked a little hesitantly as he grabbed his bag, a smile forming on his face as he saw Bruce beckoning to join them as well.     

‘Of course, Man of Ants! Join our company!’ Thor replied enthusiastically.    

‘I am Groot!’ Groot said haughtily and he looked at Drax, who nodded in agreement.    

‘Yeah, we are not going to share a tent with him! We start our own tent! Who's with us?!’    

‘It seems that we have not found a tent yet,’ Vision mentioned as he looked at Wanda. ‘Would you like to join them?’    

‘As long as we’re together, I’m happy,’ Wanda replied, pressing her smiling lips against those of Vision but stopping as she heard convulsed noises from their new tent mates.    

‘I am Groot!’ the Flora Colossus said disapprovingly.    

‘I agree with Groot, no signs of affection like that in our tent,’ Drax nodded determinedly.    

Vision stared at the two Guardians for a moment, after which he smiled in defeat. ‘Understood, sir.’     

Wanda sighed and nodded, ‘Fine, fine.’    

‘I’ll join you, Cap,’ Sam said as he shook his head with a smile, watching all the other Avengers unpack. ‘If that’s okay by your schedule, of course.’    

Steve chuckled, ‘Sure, Sam.’    

‘Yeah, I’ll join you as well,’ Rhodey said, putting his bag in the tent, ‘I assume you and Tony will be... “quiet” during the night?’    

Steve tilted his head slightly. He innocently looked at Rhodes and then at Sam, hoping the soldier would explain himself. ‘... I don’t snore, if that is what you mean? At least, not as far as I know.’    

Sam and Rhodey laughed. ‘I think we’re good,’ Sam said to Rhodes, who nodded, not able to wipe a smile off his face.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so that's it for this chapter, thank you all for reading and we hoped you enjoyed it :D
> 
> As I said before, the next chapter will be posted on new year's day so I really hope to see all of you in 2019,  
> and finally, please, PLEASE be cautious with fireworks, I can completely understand that you want to be like Thor or Bucky, but to lose an eye or arm duo to fireworks just might be a bit much :)
> 
> Have a safe, happy, awesome and marvelous 2019 guys! :D
> 
> ps. I made a very quick sketch of Penny (Peter) with Loki and Meya :) For those of you who would like to see, here's the link:  
> https://www.deviantart.com/missboaboa/art/Penny-778803614


	26. A pleasant surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Sorry for the long wait! As some of you might already know, my co-writer and I had already finished, like, 4 chapters... but at the very last moment, we decided that we really didn't care for it all that much... So we decided to re-write almost all of it ^^'
> 
> Anyway, now almost a week later, we are finally ready to bring you chapter 26~!  
> We hope you will enjoy it.
> 
> Cheers!

‘Sir, reporting for duty, sir!’ Peter smiled brightly as he stepped in front of the captain in salute. ‘I was thinking, what if Lokes and I got some firewood for tonight?’   

‘What?’ Steve asked surprised. ‘Oh, yeah, good idea, Peter. We could do with a nice campfire.’  

‘Roger that, sir!’ Peter said enthusiastically, already running over to Loki.    

‘I say we divide the tent with four imaginary walls,’ Loki started as he stood between his two best friends, the three of them staring into the large open tent. ‘We will be lacking all privacy, but at least we can pretend...’     

‘I’m just gonna _pretend_ you guys aren’t here,’ Bucky chuckled, neatly unpacking his backpack with military precision. ‘I am very skilled at ignoring people, so I’ll be fine.’   

‘Why are you here if you’re just going to ignore your best pals?’ Quill scoffed, hoping for some back-up from Loki, but the Winter Soldier was faster to respond than he expected.    

‘There are some people I like to ignore more than others,’ Bucky said with a smirk. ‘And some people I simply don’t have to ignore, because they aren’t that annoying.’     

‘Hey, Lokes?!’ Peter’s voice sounded from outside.    

‘And then there’s that guy,’ Bucky teasingly mumbled, causing Quill to snort loudly, a quick glance from the trickster effectively shushing them both.   

Peter stepped into the tent. ‘Oh, hey guys,’ he smiled a bit taken aback before turning to Loki. ‘I talked to Steve, he said we could go get some firewood for the campfire tonight. Wanna join me?’    

‘A stroll through the woods does sound nice, yes,’ Loki smiled, placing his own bag on the ground.   

‘It sure does!’ Quill said enthusiastically but then let out a soft hiss as felt the heel Bucky's heavy boot on his toes. He glared at the soldier for a moment, but as Bucky merely cast him a little smirk, he started to understand. ‘I mean, yeah, you two go get some firewood, we’ll just set some things up here,’ the Guardian added.

‘I hope you two have fun,’ Loki chuckled, though his smile formed into a sassy smirk as he stepped out of the tent and turned around. ‘Want me to close the tent? Give the two of you a little privacy?’    

‘Yeah, ‘cause that’s what we’ll be needing, right?’ Quill scoffed, wrapping an arm around the soldier’s neck, causing Bucky to look up in surprise. ‘Just as long as _you_ don’t forget FrostLord.’    

‘FrostLord forever,’ Loki laughed, following Peter into the woods.  

  

  

*****   

  

Peter and Loki strolled over a sandy path. They listened to the singing of the birds, the wind blowing through the trees causing the leaves to dance. A warm Summer’s sun shining brightly in the cloudless sky.    

‘So, what’s this Frostlord-thing about?’ Peter asked as casually as possible, skipping over some branches.  

‘I do not believe you want to know,’ Loki chuckled as he thought back to their “adventure” on the Milano.   

‘I kinda think I do, though,’ the teen responded a bit more urgently, noticing the growing smile on his boyfriend’s face.   

‘Let us just say that I found Quill to be a friend who, as it turns out, is a rather skilled dancer,’ Loki smiled as the memories came back, not noticing the teen’s suspicious look. The raven enjoying the warm sunlight which occasionally touched his skin. ‘This is quite a beautiful place,’ he said as he looked at the treetops in wonder. ‘Or are you exclusively into Asgardian trees nowadays?’ he continued with a smirk as he thought back to their awkward conversation at Asta’s house.    

‘Nah, Asgard could never beat Earth,’ Peter countered, a smirk on his face as he picked up another piece of wood for the campfire.    

‘Oh, really?’ Loki chuckled. ‘Well, there is nothing I can do but believe you. I would not argue with a man who has read a whole encyclopedia on Asgardian flora.’    

‘Yeah, yeah, joke all you want, but at least I didn’t “accidentally” ask someone to marry me.’   

Loki looked at his boyfriend in surprise. ‘Correct me if I am wrong, Peter, but do I sense a hint of reproach in your voice? I believe you should be happy that it was accidental.’    

‘I am, I just can’t understand how you did it,’ Peter shrugged before taking a big step forward to stand right in front of the trickster. ‘Explain, mister.’    

‘People hear what they wish to hear,’ Loki said with a shrug, but pretending not to care only made the memory sting more vicious in his chest. ‘Yes, well, perhaps I am partly to blame for that as well...’   

‘Perhaps,’ Peter sighed, a more caring smile now forming on his face. He leaned forward, giving the trickster a gentle and slow kiss on his lips.  

‘...I do not know about you, but to me it still feels rather odd to kiss you like that in public.’    

‘Public?’ Peter chuckled as he looked around. ‘Lokes, there’s no one here. Okay, maybe some birds or squirrels, and I think I just saw a deer, but other than that, it’s just the two of us.’   

‘In public, or daylight, or not wearing a dress, there were a lot of factors that made kissing you a rather odd experience,’ Loki chuckled, looking up at the sky again. ‘Norns, who could have thought that this would happen. I certainly did not.’    

‘... The Norns?’ Peter guessed, continuing his walk.   

‘Sure, yes, that would explain a lot,’ Loki smirked. ‘They have always had it in for me. This is just another change in my twisted fate’s design.’   

‘Oh, because being with me is such a curse, isn’t it?’ Peter chuckled, but he suddenly froze completely and gasped. ‘Lokes, look!’ Peter whispered urgently as he placed a hand against the god’s chest to stop him from moving.  

‘What?’ Loki asked as he dropped his firewood, quickly scanning the area, his Seiðr ready to charge.    

‘A lake!’ Peter shouted enthusiastically. He dropped his firewood to the ground and grabbed the trickster’s wrist, pulling him towards the open water until they were standing at the edge of the forest.    

Loki blinked in disbelief at his boyfriend and sighed, relaxing his muscles again. ‘Really, Peter? Have you never seen a lake before?’     

‘Sure, we have plenty of ‘em in Queens,’ Peter teased, rolling his eyes. ‘But it’s so awesome, come on!’ he continued, already running towards the water as he tried to take off his shirt at the same time.    

‘Sometimes I still do not understand Midgardians...’ the raven grumbled, as he watched the teen charging towards the water from a distance.    

‘Come on, let’s go swimming!’ Peter smiled as he turned around. ‘I bet the water is great!’   

‘No, Peter, I have no swimming gear with me and we still have to bring this firewood to the camp,’ Loki protested, trying to pick up Peter’s shirt which the teen had carelessly tossed in the sand.    

‘But-’ Peter started.     

‘No, I am not going to swim. I am not in the mood. Plus, we promised to bring these supplies back to the base _before_ nightfall.’    

The teen wanted to counter this and convince Loki otherwise, but as the words of the Winter Soldier suddenly rang in his head, he shuddered and just smiled. ‘Okay, sorry. You’re right. We should go back,’ he nodded.    

Loki blinked at him in surprise as he had readied himself for another argument. ‘R-right,’ he stuttered, following Peter back into the forest. 

As the two reached the camp again, carrying as much wood as they possibly could, they found the team relaxing around what was going to be the campfire, even though so far it was only a smoking bundle of twigs.    

‘There you two are,’ Tony said, an enthusiastic smile on his face.     

‘Yeah, we went to get some wood,’ Peter explained, depositing the logs by the fire.   

‘Pfff, that’s what she said,’ Quill scoffed, nudging the Winter Soldier who was sitting next to him, which earned him a deep sigh as the man facepalmed himself.    

‘Shut up, Quill,’ Peter replied, casting the man a smile nonetheless, ‘It’s not as if _you’ve_ done anything useful the last couple of hours?’    

‘Hey, I’ve been carrying these heavy logs around to create some extra seats for the show,’ Quill smiled, gesturing at the log he and some other Avengers were sitting on.     

‘Show? What show?’ Peter asked, but his question died away as one of the tents opened, revealing Steve, or some guy in a red, white and blue pajama that looked like him. The group fell silent as he walked over to the fire.   

‘Hey, everyone,’ Steve said with a slightly embarrassed chuckle, unleashing a stream of laughter from his team.   

‘I never knew justice could look so horrible and so beautiful at the same time!’ Tony laughed as he got his phone from his pocket, switching on the sound equipment in one of the cars, which started to play the iconic Captain America stage act music— _Star Spangled Man._ ‘Looking good in that onesie, darling.’   

‘Oh, dear God,’ Bucky uttered as he nearly choked in his laughter, recognizing the tune and the WWII stage-uniform immediately.    

Steve took a deep breath, followed by a wide and charming smile. ‘Not all of us can drive a tank, or storm a beach,’ he started as confidently as he could, ‘but there is still a way all of us can fight.’   

‘What, what is this? What is going on...?’ Loki asked, highly confused. ‘Has the Captain finally gone mad?’    

Natasha laughed, but she cast the trickster a smile as she said, ‘No, this is just Steve keeping true to his word. He promised to do this act if Tony would agree to go camping.’   

‘Why did I expect that promise to be something way different,’ Bruce mumbled as he could hardly keep his eyes off the captain. ‘And why do I feel so horrible for thinking that way…’    

‘This used to be Steve’s suit before the war,’ Bucky managed to explain between his outbursts of laughter. ‘He was quite a showman, had his own act and everything.’   

‘Wait, he would act? Would he also wear this to battle?’ Loki asked as a smile started to form on both his and Peter’s face.    

‘Yup, that and a prop helmet.’ Bucky looked at Steve with a smirk, ‘He was an idiot. Still is, actually. There is only so much you can change about a man, even though it's been over a hundred years.’    

‘And I thought I was cruel,’ Loki said as he looked the captain up and down, ‘but you Midgardians just surpassed me. That, that is just, well, it leaves me speechless, that is how horrendous it is.’    

‘Congratulations, Captain, you just managed to silence a Silvertongue,’ Thor laughed, looking at his young brother’s scoffing expression. 

‘I must ask you to quiet down, young man, I’m still talking,’ the captain said to Thor, authority strengthening his voice as he hardly contained his laughter, ‘I have to give my entire speech before I’m off the hook, so,’ He took another breath and bravely continued, ‘Series E Defense Bonds, each one you buy is a bullet-’    

‘-in the barrel of your best guy’s gun!’ Bucky continued with a bright smile, causing everyone to look at him in surprise.     

‘Yes, my friend, would you like to join me on stage and continue this speech with me?’ Steve said in his heroic stage voice and he held out a hand, pulling Bucky from his seat to stand next to him. ‘How about we tell these fine people some more?’  

‘Oh, but the great Captain America doesn’t need any help, does he?’ Bucky smirked, sitting down again. ‘No, Steve, you're not pulling me into this. It’s your party.’   

‘Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for my ever so helpful friend!’ Steve gestured at the smirking soldier with a wave of his hand, his smile becoming a bit more uncomfortable as he now looked at his boyfriend. ‘Do I really have to go on, Tony?’ the blond then asked, close to pouting as he looked at the playboy with a pleading expression.   

‘We had a deal, _honey_ ,’ Tony smirked, casually eating a hand-full of blueberries as he enjoyed the show. ‘So, continue.’

‘Because if you make a promise, you keep it,’ Sam said, mimicking the captain’s voice and pose, causing the others to laugh.  

Steve let out a deep sigh, followed by a charming smile. ‘We all know this is about trying to win the war. We can’t do that without bullets and bandages, tanks and,’ he gestured to his surroundings, ‘tents.’    

‘I think we secretly signed up for the army when we agreed to go camping,’ Bruce whispered to Natasha, causing her to chuckle and lean softly against him.  

‘This used to be the part where Steve would turn around and punch Hitler,’ Bucky whispered to Loki as the trickster took a seat next to him. ‘Crowd went nuts every time he did that.’  

‘Wait, who?’ Loki asked, knitting his brows.    

‘Uh, the leader of the enemy our army was fighting,’ Bucky explained with a chuckle, unable to keep a bright, almost childish, smile from his face.   

The Avengers were smiling and laughing, all waiting for the captain to continue. However, Steve did not open his mouth, his eye caught by some orange sparkles that floated mid-air.    

Just when the captain wanted to investigate, a bright yellow portal opened, Doctor Strange stepping through it, leaving the Sanctum Sanctorum behind him. ‘Captain, I was hoping to…’ the man then looked Steve up and down and knitted his brow. ‘Sorry, I think I’m in the wrong time period.’ As he looked around and found the other Avengers all staring back at him, he blinked awkwardly, ‘Or... not? What is-’ 

‘Doctor,’ Steve said as he tried his best to hold up his confident appearance, though a vivid red started to color his face underneath his mask.   

‘Ticket please,’ Tony smirked from the car, pausing the music. ‘Sir, I'm gonna ask you to sit down or leave, you’re disturbing tonight’s show.’    

‘Stark,’ Strange said in a low grumble, ‘I was just here to ask the captain some questions concerning the-’    

‘Don’t care, Doc, can’t you see that we are on a well-deserved and very, _very_ luxurious vacation?’ As he said this, Tony gestured at the tents surrounding them. ‘Now take a seat or try again later.’   

‘I see... Well, I will just leave, then,’ Strange said with an annoyed sigh. ‘Captain.’   

‘You can stay, Strange, if you want. We can talk once this uhm, this show is over,’ Steve said with a smile, knowing how ridiculous this entire scene must seem to the wizard.    

‘Uh, okay, I’ll just...’ Strange looked around him, searching for a chair, but as he could only find a deserted log to sit on, he let out a deep sigh. ‘Fine,’ he grumbled, his cape quickly flying from his shoulders as he sat down. ‘Oh, come on, don’t be like that,’ Strange argued with his Cloak of Levitation, causing the Avengers to look at him with wide open eyes.     

‘How is it possible that I can still be surprised?’ Sam whispered to Vision, who let out a chuckle.      

Steve continued his show with the little dignity he had left, earning himself a big round of applause at the end.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so that's it for this chapter.
> 
> Now, about the lake, will Peter and Loki ever go back? Or not? They just might *hint hint* anyway! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Thank you so much for your patience! Next one will be up in two days again :D


	27. A midnight swim

**Chapter 27**

**A midnight swim**

 

‘That,’ Tony said as Steve sat down next to him after his spectacular performance, ‘was amazing.’ He removed the mask from his boyfriend’s head, revealing his blond ruffled locks, kissed him on his lips and chuckled. ‘I’m sorry, but I just _had_ to see that. Now my life is complete.’    

‘I’m happy that my performance was the one thing the great Tony Stark could not live without,’ Steve laughed, wrapping an arm around the man’s shoulder and giving him a kiss on his cheek. He then looked up at the Doctor, who watched the two of them with a questioning expression. ‘I-I’m sorry, Strange, seems like I forgot to send you a memo.’    

‘Obviously,’ Strange said slowly as he kept staring, making Steve look away nervously.   

Tony looked at the captain in surprise. He then shifted his attention to Strange, raising a sassy brow as he crossed his arms. ‘Not that there’s a problem with that, right?’ he asked, daring the wizard to say anything different.    

‘No, of course not,’ Stephen quickly smiled. ‘I am just surprised that the famous and self-centered Tony Stark managed to find someone who can stand being around him for more than an hour, that’s all. Now, captain, if you have a minute?’   

‘Sure,’ Steve chuckled, placing a quick kiss on Tony’s cheek before walking away with the wizard.    

‘Oh yeah? Well, at least my boyfriend is a human being, not a curtain!’ Tony shouted after the two, but Strange did not give him any reaction as he walked away with Steve, his cape flawlessly wrapping itself around the Doctor’s shoulders again. Tony let out an annoyed sigh, turning his attention back to the group, who were now casually chatting around the warm fire.  

While the Avengers told stories amongst themselves, Scott grabbed his backpack from his tent and pulled out a large bag of marshmallows, passing them around with a roll of chocolate chip cookies for the entire team to make s’mores. ‘Snack time, guys,’ he said, sitting down next to Barton. 

‘S’mores, nice! I almost forgot how good these things taste,’ Clint whispered happily as he took a bite from his sweet. He looked at the soldier who was sitting next to him in the small circle of Avengers. ‘Can’t remember the last time I ate these.’ 

‘Yeah, they’re amazing,’ Bucky nodded in agreement, though he questioned his statement as his fingers were now getting sticky with the melted marshmallow. 

The archer stared at the soldier for a moment, who was struggling to free his fingers from the gluey substance, an unamused mumble leaving his lips. Clint chuckled and shook his head, his attention then shifting back towards the Guardian, who was standing in the middle of their little group. 

‘So there I was, on my knees as my dad hovered over me! My team scattered, situation hopeless!’ Quill stated as he let himself dramatically fall to his knees in front of the small group of Avengers who were listening to his story. ‘The ground shaking below my feet as I could only think of my friends,’ he looked around, meeting the gaze of each individual team member. ‘But of course I stayed calm, and told my father…’ he paused for a brief moment, leaving Bucky, Clint, Scott and Loki waiting in anticipation, while Peter merely sighed and started to look around. The Ravager took a deep breath, his voice now low, almost in a growl; ‘“…You shouldn’t have squished my Walkman!” and then-’ He jumped up from his feet, continuing his epic tale. 

Peter sighed and rolled his eyes. Usually, he’d be all in for a good campfire story, and it was not that Quill’s tale was boring, it was just… 

He looked at his boyfriend, jealousy sparking in his chest as he saw how Loki’s eyes were locked on the space adventurer, listening breathlessly to his every word. 

Peter sighed, mumbling something no one really heard. A mischievous smile then dawned on the teen’s face as he huddled up to the raven and let his head rest on his shoulder. ‘Hey, Lokes?’ he whispered in a sultry voice, his lips brushing against the god’s ear, ‘you wanna check out the lake we found earlier? I could go for a swim.’   

‘Why? Do you not enjoy the story?’ Loki asked sincerely, his eyes still locked on the Guardian as he tried to follow his story.   

‘Because!’ Peter said with a meaningful smile, but since the trickster now stared at him in wonder, the teen just sighed. ‘It might be a little less crowded there, so we could... _talk_?’    

Loki’s eyes grew wide as he started to understand what the teen had been trying to say, a smirk following, ‘You mean, you want to sneak away from camp?’ he asked softly.  

‘Uh-huh. What do you say?’ the teen asked with a twinkle in his eyes.  

‘You little sneak,’ Loki grinned. ‘Should we not tell Anthony about this though? Or Steven? Your fathers might get worried otherwise.’     

Peter looked over at Tony, who was keeping a close eye on Steve and Strange. ‘Yeah, I don’t think we should tell them...’     

‘Peter, may I kindly remind you of the last time you forgot to announce our leave?’ the trickster countered as he raised a cocky brow. ‘Certainly, you have not forgotten the look on Anthony’s face when we returned from Asgard, have you?’    

Peter sighed. ‘Okay, fine, I’ll tell him.’ He stood up and went over to his mentor. ‘Uh, Tony?’  

‘Yeah, what’s up, kid?’ Tony stood up from his seat, smiling. ‘Had any s’mores yet?’ he asked, awkwardly offering Peter his half-melted marshmallow which stuck to his fingers.    

‘Oh, thanks, but no thanks,’ Peter kindly declined. ‘So, Loki and I are going for a walk and a swim, there’s this lake nearby, so... Is that okay?’    

Tony looked at Peter for a moment and then stared past him at Loki, who seemed to be enjoying the Guardian’s tale of bravery again. ‘Well...’ he started reluctantly, but as he felt Peter’s pleading eyes on him, he just sighed. ‘Just... If you find a broccoli floating on the water, promise me you’ll leave it. I don’t think it’s edible anymore.’    

Peter laughed. ‘No problem, sir.’ He then looked at his tutor with a warm smile. ‘Thanks, Tony.’    

‘Yeah, yeah, it’s okay,’ Tony’s voice sounded indifferent, but he could not help the smile on his face as he pulled Peter in a quick hug. ‘Make sure to be back on time, though!’ he shouted after the teen who was already walking back to the campfire.    

‘Yes, sir!’ Peter shouted back before sitting down next to the raven again, whispering at him to raise as little attention from is fellow-avengers as possible. ‘I’m going to get my swimming trunks, I suppose you do the same.’    

Loki grinned, his eyes gleaming as he looked at his boyfriend. ‘I will change my clothes when we get there,’ he played with some green rays of Seiðr that sparked from his fingers. ‘You best hurry, Peter, the story is starting to get really interesting. I just might stay.’        

‘No, you won’t,’ Peter said with a teasing smile. He dove into his tent, scavenging through his belongings to find his swimming trunks.    

After Peter had changed, the two sneaked from the campsite, making their way through the dark forest and stepping into the moonlight as they reached the water. 

‘It looks even more beautiful like this,’ Peter said as he stared at the tranquil lake, which seemed to light up as if the water had streamed from the moon itself.   

‘I agree...’ Loki stared breathlessly, never realizing Midgard could be this breathtaking. He listened to the sound of leaves playing in a cool breeze and stared in wonder at the countless fireflies that danced in the air. ‘Peter,’ he whispered softly, his eyes sparkling with the small lights, ‘I just w-’ 

‘Okay, last one in the water is a Bilgesnipe!’ Peter suddenly shouted, causing the fireflies to scatter. He ran straight into the lake with a loud splash, uttering a shriek as soon as he hit the water. ‘Man, this is cold! Oh, shit, this is _so_ cold!’    

The raven sighed deeply but could not help the smirk that followed right after. ‘Is it now?’ he asked as he calmly entered the lake as well. ‘I hardly feel a thing.’ He raised a cocky brow after which he graciously swam past the teen without as much as a shiver. ‘Feels perfectly fine to me.’  

Peter stared at the trickster as he felt his entire body shiver with cold. ‘Okay, you are officially nuts. Yep, no doubt. Maybe it’s just an Asgardian thing or something.’ He laughed but then remembered his conversation with Thor when Loki was away with Quill, how they spoke about the Warriors Three, about the trickster’s origin and how the blond had asked him whether he knew something about a mark on the raven’s back. Peter swallowed tensely, trying to get a good look at his boyfriend’s shoulder. A sigh following as the moonlight reflected on the man’s pale skin. ‘Lokes, there is something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while now...’   

‘How I got to be so skilled and knowledgeable on almost every subject you can think of?’ the trickster smirked as he turned around, now casually swimming on his back.     

‘Yeah, I’m not even going near that subject, I just blame it on natural talent,’ Peter chuckled, his smile fading as he sought the words to formulate his question. ‘Back on Asgard, uhm, I now know Fandral was trying to get to you and I’m so sorry I didn’t realize it at the time, I was an idiot-’  

‘You still are,’ Loki smirked, but as he now looked at Peter, he just smiled and wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing sweet kisses in the teen’s neck as his steadied his feet on the sandy soil of the lake.   

‘Gee, thanks,’ Peter replied sarcastically before he continued, a smile forming on his lips as the trickster’s kisses tickled against his skin. He placed his hands on Loki’s arms to retain some distance, meeting his emerald gaze. ‘But what he said about you, about you being a, a Jötunn? Or something like that? What did he mean?’    

‘... It was but a jest,’ Loki stated after being silent for a few seconds. ‘Nothing more, just forget it and enjoy the water. We did not sneak out for nothing, did we?’ Loki smiled, pressing his lips against the teen’s once more, hoping to change the subject.   

Peter stared at his boyfriend for a moment, eventually casting him a smile. He knew Loki was lying, and he would have believed him if had not been for Thor already revealing a part of the truth. Not wanting to force Loki to talk about it, he just decided to play along. ‘Yeah, you’re right. Fandral’s full of shit anyway.’ He then looked up, ‘Hey, how about a little race? I think I’m entitled to a rematch, after you cheated with Twister.’ He pointed at a little patch of land, decorated with a few pine trees, in the middle of the lake. ‘The first one to get to the island wins.’   

‘I did not cheat that night, Peter, you are just a very sore loser,’ Loki crossed his arms. ‘And furthermore-’    

'See you later, Lokes!’ Peter shouted as he started to swim towards the island, splashing up the water around him in his enthusiastic attempt.    

Staring after the teen Loki let out a deep sigh, ‘Fine, have it your way, you little...’ He grumbled some curses in a language he knew Peter would not understand—not that the teen could hear him over the loud splashing anyway. He closed his eyes and focused on the element surrounding him, whispering a spell. The stagnant water started to move gently, slowly turning into a steady stream that carried the raven towards his boyfriend. ‘See you on the island, love,’ he smiled as he passed Peter on his left, effortlessly continuing his swim.     

‘What-’ Peter muttered and he stared at the trickster in awe, his eyes then falling on the soft green glow that lit up the passing water. ‘LOKES, YOU CHEAT!’ he then shouted after his boyfriend, trying to increase his pace, but his swimming was only getting worse, splashing up more water than he was crossing.  

Loki turned around, looking at the nearly drowning teen. ‘You know Peter,’ he said as he swam back. ‘I remember something about _someone_ calling me “a soaked cat” during a certain pool party.’ He quickly grabbed Peter’s hands and placed them on his shoulders. ‘I believe the tables have turned, would you not agree?’ he smiled as he removed a few strains of hair from the teen’s face and pressed a kiss on his cold lips. ‘I do not know if this will make you feel any better, but you are adorable when you are drowning.’  

‘Once again, thanks,’ Peter said, trying to sound sarcastic, but his voice turned soft as he looked at the trickster with a smile. ‘The noble Loki of Asgard, saving a drowning mortal’s life. That’s new, isn’t it? But seriously though, how did you do that?’  

‘I am full of surprises,’ Loki shrugged. ‘Controlling elements is hard, but not impossible.’ Not being able to resist, he pressed another kiss against the teen’s lips, causing the both of them to plunge in the water with a loud splash. ‘Though it does costs me a lot of Seiðr and concentration… Maybe we should get back to shore,’ Loki said after gasping for air. ‘It is hard to focus on my surroundings with you claiming all my attention like that.’   

‘Oh, because I’m _so_ distracting,’ Peter said, casting him a teasing smile. 'But, alright, we should get back to shore if you’re too tired to go on.’ He quickly added, noticing how the raven was starting to pant softly as he had to use all his Seiðr to keep the both of them afloat. 

‘Hey, I was suggesting that for _your_ well-being,’ Loki smirked, ‘Besides, I could not rob the world of Spider-Man and keep you for myself all night. Whether people know it or not, I am sure they will need your help again.’ As the two swam towards the shore, Loki suddenly uttered, ‘Is it not very frustrating?’   

‘What is?’ Peter asked in confusion.  

‘You spend so much time saving people’s lives, yet no one knows who you are. All the effort to save the day, yet none of the credit. I mean, certainly, the Midgardians adore Spider-Man, but they will never know that it is Peter Parker who catches the villains.’   

‘Well, I don’t do it for the fame,’ Peter said with a shrug. ‘I mean, it’s nice and all, but at the end of the day, I’m just a kid from Queens with superpowers. How am I supposed to lead a _somewhat_ normal life when the paparazzi is on my tail the entire time?’  

‘Why would you want to lead a normal life?’ Loki asked, his brows knitted in sincere confusion.      

‘Why not?’ Peter scoffed. ‘What, you’d rather have a statue in the middle of Central Park or something?’    

‘That would be quite nice, yes.’ Loki smiled. ‘However, I do believe the people of Midgard would disagree on that.’    

‘Well... Yeah, I’m afraid so, but maybe you’ll get your statue after you’ve saved the world a couple of times.’ He thought about the Avengers and let out a scoffing chuckle. ‘Or you just get lawsuits, spend some time in prison, sign some contracts about working for a global government, or you could become a magic doctor, you’ve already got the magic-part covered, so...’ At that moment, he slowed down his pace, noticing something on Loki’s shoulder as the trickster swam past him. ‘Lokes, what’s that?’ he asked in a sudden serious voice.   

‘What is what?’ Loki chuckled as he continued his swimming, relieved to be close to shore again as he felt his Seiðr being drained from his body. ‘Be more specific, love.’    

‘There is something on your shoulder,’ Peter said as he caught up with the trickster and took a closer look, suddenly realizing that this must have been what Thor was asking him about. ‘Is it some sort of tattoo or a scar?’    

As Loki felt the teen’s finger trail over the skin on his shoulder, a violent shiver run down his entire body. He turned around with a loud splash, a hint of panic shining in his eyes. ‘That is nothing for you to worry about, Peter. It is none of your concern,’ he said sternly. ‘Now, let’s continue and head back to camp before people will get concerned.’  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued


	28. Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys,
> 
> Thank you all for waiting for so long! Now, this might be a chapter you have been waiting (and fearing) for! 
> 
> Please ready your tickets for the feels train departing from chapter 28.
> 
> Just a heads up, next chapter will be Fluff all around, just so you know ^^

‘Wait, go back to camp?’ Peter asked horrified. ‘Lokes, we just got here. I told Tony where we are, so we’re good, right?’  

‘Well, I do not know about you, but I have quite had it with swimming,’ Loki stated curtly as he got out of the water and searched for his towel.    

‘I wasn’t just talking about the swimming,’ Peter sighed as he dragged his body on the shore. ‘Swimming was nice, sure, but I just wanted some, well, alone-time, together, some just-the-two-of-us time, you know?’   

‘I understand, and we had that. So, let’s go back.’ The trickster tensely walked back and forth a few times as he quickly covered himself in the soft fabric of the large towel. ‘If you wish to stay here, be my guest. I will see you at camp.’   

‘...Okay, what’s going on?’ Peter asked in confusion as he followed the prince with his eyes, quickly drying himself with a towel before draping it over his shoulders. ‘Talk to me, Lokes. Please.’    

The raven turned around, his eyes nervously darting from the teen to the sand between his toes. ‘I just think we should head back. That is all.’ As he said this, he started to walk towards the edge of the forest.    

‘I can tell when you’re lying, Lokes,’ Peter sighed, but managed to cast the trickster an encouraging smile. ‘Please, just tell me what’s going on.’ He tried to lay his hand on the prince’s shoulder, but it was slapped away firmly, which clearly startled the teen. 

‘Do not _dare_ touch me!’ Loki hissed as he took a few unsteady steps backwards, creating more distance between the two of them. His eyes were now fully locked on Peter, glaring at him like a wild, cornered animal who could charge at any second.  

‘Wha-?! What's the matter with you?! One moment we’re all lovey-dovey and the next I can’t even come near you? Can you just tell me what I’m supposed to say or do or ask, because apparently I just do everything wrong!’ Peter shouted, anger boiling up as the trickster shut him out more and more. 

‘Oh, you are acting like such a child!’ Loki shouted angrily, his chest heaving as he took a few big steps forward, his face now hovering close to that of the teen as he spoke to him in a low voice, nearly baring his teeth. ‘Some things are just none of you concern, Peter, and it would suit you wise to refrain from venturing.’  

‘Was that...’ Peter started slowly as he now looked the trickster in the eye, his gaze a mixture of disbelief and confusion. ‘Was that a _threat_? Were you just threatening me?!’ 

‘Just a piece of advice,’ the trickster snarled. He then turned around, making sure the towel would cover his back, and walked away.  

‘Hey!’ Peter shouted, ‘Where do you think you’re going?!’  

‘Back to camp,’ the trickster replied, not turning around.  

‘No, you’re not! I’m not done talking!’   

‘Well I _am_!’  

Peter gritted his teeth in anger, only to force himself to calm down again. He took a deep breath and ran after the god, grabbing his wrist to gain his attention. ‘Just tell me, Loki,’ he stated firmly, anger flaring through his chest again as his boyfriend did not even look him in the eye. ‘I don’t want to fight, I just want you to open up to me. You _do_ trust me, don’t you?’ As he got no answer from the god, Peter looked him in the eye and repeated his question more clearly. ‘ _Don’t you_?’  

The trickster eyes darted restlessly between those of his boyfriend and the edge of the forest, panic written across his face. ‘…Fine,’ he hissed in frustration, a hand running restlessly through his hair as he searched for the right words in the chaotic mess that was his mind. ‘The mark, on my back,’ he started reluctantly as he paced back and forth. ‘It is not a tattoo, nor is it an ordinary scar.’ He swallowed thickly, his stomach turning as he had to force himself to say the words. ‘I was branded...’   

‘…What?’ Peter’s eyes grew wide as he slowly let go of his boyfriend’s wrist, this not being the answer he had expected. ‘W-what do you mean…? Who did that to you? Why?’   

‘I was branded! Smoldering steal against bared skin! That is what I mean!’ Loki spat out the words like poison, hardly responding to the rest of the teen’s questions. ‘I was stripped from my clothing, chained to the ground and branded like livestock, okay?!’    

‘O-okay!’ Peter shouted back, blinking his eyes as he came to grasp what the trickster was telling him. ‘N-no, wait, not okay, but-’    

‘After I threw myself off the Bifrost, after I even failed in taking my own life, the Chitauri found me! They took me in, held me prisoner, and...!’ Tears started to form in the trickster’s eyes as the memories flooded his mind, leaving him to feel like he was slowly suffocating. ‘Just before they... _convinced_ me to attack Midgard, they branded me, so I could never forget that I am one of them. That I _belong_ to them!’ Loki wrapped his arms tightly around his body, his nails digging deep into his skin as he started to take rapid and short breaths.   

‘Lokes, please try to calm down,’ Peter tried carefully. ‘I-I didn’t know- I just wanted to help...’  

‘They locked my up,’ Loki continued softly, not even hearing the teen’s words. ‘Keeping me from ever seeing daylight again. I was alone, and it was cold and I…’ he clasped his hands around his arms, clinging on to his towel as if unfamiliar hands would rip the fabric right off his body. He tried to stop the violent shivering as he could hardly stand on his feet anymore. ‘I was at peace with that… I thought I would die in that cell, that they would leave me to rot, and I found comfort in that delusion.’ Heavy sobs disrupted the raven’s sentence as tears were uncontrollably trickling down his face. ‘Yet each time I heard keys unlocking my door I knew that- that they were coming for me, that they would torture me, and I just,’ he then looked up at the teen, meeting his silent gaze with pleading, desperate eyes. ‘I just never understood why they had to do that… I was already broken, Peter. There was not a part of my body or soul left to harm.’   

Peter’s eyes filled with tears as he stared back, his body trembling softly in frustration as he realized that there was nothing he could do but listen. ‘Lokes...’ he whispered softly, not knowing what else he could do or say to keep his boyfriend from hurting himself any more. ‘I-I’m sorry, Lokes. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I didn’t mean to force you to-’   

‘Would you care to hear another piteous tale about the “great” prince of Asgard?’ Loki’s voice was distant, cold and weary. His intense emerald eyes staring at the teen, piercing his soul.    

‘Lokes, please stop,’ Peter pleaded in a soft voice as a tear spilled from his eye. ‘Please-’  

‘I am not even Asgardian,’ The raven said as he let a pained and desperate smile shine through his tears, taking a few unsteady steps back. ‘Fandral was not lying, Peter. He was right, about everything.’ With a trembling breath, Loki closed his eyes, letting his Æsir façade fade, revealing the Jötunn underneath. He looked up, bright-red eyes glistening in the moonlight. ‘I am a Jötunn. A cast out of the Frost Giants, taken in by Odin and waiting to be of use as a peace offering.’  

Peter stared at the creature in front of him with wide eyes. He wanted to open his mouth, to say something, anything, but his body just froze. He looked at the sand beneath his feet as he still tried to grasp the words of the god, tears rolling down his cheeks, no matter how hard he tried to control them.   

Not knowing what else to say, Loki just stared at the teen for a few seconds, tears no longer running down his cheeks. Eventually he took a step back, his lips parting to utter an apology for his existence. But no matter how hard he searched, no matter how desperately he tried to rely on his silver tongue, he could not find one sentence that was even close to expressing the guilt and contempt that heavied his soul. He felt lost and utterly alone. 

Blood-red eyes, glistening like rubies in the pale moonlight, stared at a young, crying man. Loki took a shivering breath as he turned around, soundlessly walking away from Peter as that seemed to be the only solution he could think of.   

He gasped as he suddenly felt the warm body of his boyfriend pressed tightly against his own, two strong arms wrapped around his waist as a face pressed against his back, sobbing violently. ‘I don’t care, Loki!’ Peter cried, tears streaming down his face. ‘Jötunn or Asgardian, I don’t care!’   

The trickster froze completely in Peter’s strong embrace, his hands trembling as he tried to understand what was happening. ‘Peter, let go,’ he eventually whispered. ‘You are soaked and my body is freezing, you will get sick.’     

‘NO! I’m not letting go!’ Peter shouted frantically, his arms only tightening around the trickster’s body, afraid that he would disappear forever if he loosened his grip. ‘Lokes, I am, I just,’ he took deep breaths, trying to steady his voice. ‘I am so, so sorry, for everything that’s happened to you. I just wish there was something I could do…’   

‘I-I do not understand,’ Loki managed to turn around in the teen’s arms, though he quickly averted his gaze from Peter, ‘Why are you crying…?’    

‘When I hear what people have done to you,’ Peter started, trying to control himself again as he wiped the tears from his face, ‘I just feel so, so _damn_ powerless. I wasn’t there for you, I didn’t even know you, but, if I had, I would have done everything I could to help you.’ He scoffed at himself, shaking his head as a sarcastic chuckle came from his throat. ‘Mr. Barnes was right. I’m such a selfish idiot. I just, I never noticed, I didn’t know what you’ve been through, and I-’    

‘-Peter,’ Loki quickly interrupted the teen, carefully placing his hands on his cheeks. ‘You cannot blame yourself for what has happened to me. Not even Thor knows of this, there was simply no way _you_ could. I brought this upon myself...’ he then managed to smile softly as he wiped a tear from the corner of Peter’s eye. ‘Hearing you say this is... Well, I am just truly grateful you did not run away after seeing me like this or after hearing my pathetic story…’    

‘And I’m glad you didn’t either,’ Peter said with a brave smile, a little sob disrupting his sentence. ‘Loki,’ he then looked the raven in the eye, his hands now resting on the god’s blue cheeks. ‘Please don’t ever try to carry your burdens alone again. Please.’  

‘I, I just do not wish to bother you with-’  

‘You’re not,’ Peter stated firmly, a loving and hopeless smile on his face as he placed a gentle kiss on his boyfriend’s cold lips. ‘I love you, Loki. More than anything.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I know, I can tell you anything  
> You won't judge, you're just listening  
> 'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me  
> 'Cause my darling, you and I could take over the world  
> One step at a time, just you and I  
> 'Cause you're the only one, who brings light just like the sun  
> One step at a time, just you and I


	29. Complicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> Just a head-up, uhm, this chapter will contain a lot of fluff, a lot of love and also some smut.. so yeah, I don't really know if I should give this chapter a special rating or Tag, but, I mean, I think it's rather mild but your experience may differ...
> 
> So yeah! Just to make sure everyone's warned... Please don't send hate mail or come to my house in angry mobs with torches and pitchforks XD
> 
> Thank you very much!

 

‘Are you okay?’ Peter asked for the tenth time in about twenty minutes as the two were now quietly strolling along the shoreline.   

‘I am fine now, really.’ Loki smiled gently and put up his disguise again. Warm porcelain skin replacing the freezing blue, deep emeralds covering the bright rubies. 

‘Okay, but, just so you know, we can go back to camp any time you want to, and if you feel uncomfortable or, well, you know- just tell me, okay? Also let me know when you’re tired, ‘cause I could carry you, and-’ 

‘Peter, again, I am fine now. Just like the last twelve times you have asked me this.’ The god smiled, his hand now carefully searching for the teen’s, letting their fingers intertwine. ‘I have _you_ to worry over me, right? And Thor. Even Winter and Quill,’ he chuckled softly, trying to lift some of the tension that still lingered in the air. ‘I am not alone anymore.’   

‘Right,’ Peter nodded, uttering a sigh in relief. It was only then that he noticed the chilly night air that was cooling down his body. He wrapped his arms around his torso, his towel now cold and damp. ‘So, uhm, could you perhaps conjure up a blanket or something? I’m kinda freezing.’   

‘I might have a better idea.’ Loki pressed his warm lips against those of the teen. ‘Wait here,’ he then walked into the forest with a quick pace, disappearing through the large trees.    

‘Hey, where you’re going?’ Peter shouted after him, pulling his towel tighter around his shoulders as he started to shiver more violently. ‘Lokes! Didn’t we agree not to run away from each other anymore?’  

‘I am not running away, you dunce,’ Loki scoffed as he came back with some firewood, dropping at the teen’s feet. ‘Take a step back.’ He waited for Peter to do as he said, softly mumbling a spell, causing a huge flame to ignite from the logs. ‘My apologies!’ the raven quickly waved a hand, causing the flame to soften and stabilize. ‘As I said before, controlling the elements is quite hard. Are you alright?’    

‘Well, at least I’m warm,’ Peter chuckled as he casually moved a finger over his eyebrows to feel if they were still there, smiling as he then sat down in the sand by the fire. ‘Oh, this is a lot better.’   

‘I am happy to hear so,’ Loki sat down next to him, his head resting on the teen’s shoulder. He took a deep breath as he looked into the dancing flames, ‘Peter, I am truly sorry I kept all of this a secret from you. It is just... I thought you had no need to know and I was so petrified at the thought of losing you if you were to see my true form that I...’    

‘I get it,’ Peter nodded. ‘I’m sorry for being such a nosy brat. If I had known it was this serious, I’d…’ he then shook his head. ‘Well, it’s just in my nature, I guess.’   

‘A wicked god of lies and a nosy man of spiders’ Loki chuckled. ‘We, my love, make a very odd couple.’ He then looked up at Peter, suddenly remembering the teen’s earlier rambling. ‘... Did Winter truly call you a selfish brat?’   

‘He may or may not have used those exact words,’ Peter chuckled. ‘Yeah, he gave me a good wake-up call, but I'm on his good side now, I think, I hope.’   

Loki smiled as he laid his weary head to rest against Peter’s shoulder again, his fingers intertwining with those of the teen. He stared at the warm flames and spoke softly, ‘I truly love you, Peter.’    

‘Love you too, Lokes.’ Peter pressed a smiling kiss on the raven’s wet hair and sighed. ‘Why do we always have to make these moments so complicated?’    

‘I wear a complicated uniform, I am a complicated god,’ Loki shrugged, a smirk following. ‘Our relationship is bound to be complicated.’   

‘And all I wanted was just to go for a swim and make out on the beach,’ Peter chuckled, suddenly turning crimson as he realized that he said this out loud. ‘Yeah, well, I’m fine with this, you know, I just...’   

Loki stared at Peter for a second, a wide smile forming on his face as he pressed his lips against the teen’s. ‘Who said we cannot do so anymore?’   

‘Yeah, but,’ Peter started as their earlier clash flashed before his eyes. His stomach turned again at the thought of Loki’s cries, but as he felt the tips of the trickster’s gentle fingers caress his cheek, he looked up, the warm touch distracting him from these cold memories.   

Loki gently pulled Peter closer against his body, his hands now working from the small of his back to his shoulder blades and his neck. The god’s fingers were glowing soft green, using his Seiðr to submerse the teen’s skin, leaving a trail of warmth that reached deep into his muscle tissue.   

Peter moaned softly as the prince placed a kiss in his neck. He looked at the raven for a moment before smiling broadly. ‘Alright, then, I guess we could.’    

‘Terrific,’ Loki smirked, his lips in the nape of Peter’s neck, gently moving down to his collar bone. ‘Is... is the Seiðr to your liking? If it makes you feel uncomfortable, just say so, I will stop.’    

‘Lokes, if I didn’t like it, I’d tell you,’ Peter said with a chuckle, his chest shivering as the fingers touched a sensitive spot in his neck.   

Loki suddenly stopped his movements, sitting up straight again and staring at his fingers as he let go of the teen.   

‘Whoa-!’ Peter yelped in surprise, his back hitting the sand as he was no longer supported by the trickster’s arms. ‘W-what’s wrong?’    

‘Peter, I just realized...’ the trickster nervously fiddled with the tip of his fingers. ‘The last time we were, well, _close_ , it was with Meya, on that rooftop, and I-I just wondered if, if you really want to continue this, knowing that I am not a girl right now and,’ he rambled nervously but then looked up, a smile forming on his face before the teen could even reply. ‘Though I guess I could easily solve that problem.’ With a quick snap of his fingers, he turned himself into the girl the teen had not seen for weeks, long raven hair falling over slender shoulders, the divine body curving flawlessly.   

Peter breathlessly stared at her for a moment, but then burst out in laughter, covering his face in his hands without bothering to get up. ‘How many times do I have to kiss you to make you realize that I like _you_ , Lokes?’ he chuckled. ‘Sure, I like Meya, but I’m interested in the guy underneath, okay?’ As he now looked at the girl’s face that hovered over his, Peter smiled. ‘Whatever you want, Lokes, whatever makes you happy. Seems like I'm bi, ‘cause I’m fine with both.’   

After blinking her eyes a couple of times, Meya just smiled and straddled his lap, her hands digging into the sand next to Peter’s head as she pressed her soft lips against those of the teen. She slowly trailed his cheek, leaving kisses along the way until she reached his ear, whispering in a sultry voice. ‘I guess that does make things easier.’  

Peter let out a shivering breath, feeling the goddess’ nails trail over his bared chest. He placed his hands on her waist, slowly following the curves of her body to her hips. He then froze for a second as their eyes met. ‘I love you no matter what or who you are,’ he breathed as his hand amiably moved through thick raven hair. 

Meya remained silent for a moment, feeling like a heavy weight which she had been carrying for so long finally fell off her shoulders. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered softly, ‘for loving me.’ She then smiled brightly, suddenly pressing her lips against those of the teen again in a fervent kiss. She moved her hips slightly, pressing her body against Peter as close as she could. 

Peter could not tell where to look or how to hold on to the girl as he felt the goddess’ body all over him. He then wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, but quickly let go again as he heard a sigh. ‘What? Something wrong?’ he asked worriedly. ‘I’m not hurting you, am I?’  

‘No! On the contrary,’ the girl smiled as she fell a blush forming on her cheeks. ‘It is just,’ she then looked down at her chest. ‘How am I supposed to get close to you with these barriers?’ she asked in all seriousness as she gestured at her breasts.   

‘Uh,’ was the only thing Peter could utter at first as he stared at the objects in question, but then he burst out in laughter. ‘I, I don’t know, Meya.’  

As the goddess now realized why the teen was laughing, a bright red color formed on her face, leaving her to smile in embarrassment. ‘Yeah, okay,’ she chuckled and closed her eyes, Seiðr running over the body again as it transformed its wielder back into his original form. ‘There. Being a girl is... distracting.’   

‘Yeah, it _is_ distracting,’ Peter smiled, noticing the shapeshifting body under his fingers. ‘I guess there’s something to say for both, huh?’    

‘So it seems,’ Loki shrugged, pushing the teen back into the sand. He leaned forward as he was still straddling his lap, pressing kisses on his jawline, hands slowly moving up his chest.    

‘Okay, help me out here, why haven’t we done this before?’ Peter asked breathlessly, reveling in the kisses and touch of his boyfriend, his arms wrapped around the trickster’s neck as he pulled him closer.   

‘Because we had to be fools and constantly turn away from each other,’ Loki whispered, his voice vibrating against the teen’s skin.    

‘Oh, right,’ Peter replied with a sigh, a moan leaving his lips as the god’s low voice echoed against his skin. ‘Yeah, that’s us, I guess.’    

‘Peter?’     

‘Hm?’    

‘You talk too much,’ Loki breathed against the skin of his chest, pressing fervent kisses down lower and lower.    

Peter bit down on his bottom lip, taking in a sharp breath as he arched his back. ‘I know, but I was waiting for you to shut me up,’ he managed a teasing smile as his hands trailed through the raven hair, finding his wish fulfilled as the prince’s lips avidly covered his own again.   

‘So, do you think Anthony would allow us to share a room once we get back?’ Loki asked in a teasing whisper, a soft moan following as he felt Peter’s nails trailed over his back.    

‘Do we even care?’ Peter breathed mischievously, but he immediately stopped after that, feeling like the playboy could walk in on them any minute. ‘Yeah, we do, or at least _I_ do, but I think he will be okay with it. In time. Someday. We'll see.’    

‘And if not, well, I would be just fine with that too.’ Loki eagerly pressed his lips against those of Peter again, earning himself a loud moan coming from the teen as he bucked his hips. ‘I’ll just find something to blackmail him with, force him to accept it.’     

‘I bet you would,’ Peter managed to keep his lips parted from Loki just long enough to take a hot gasp. He smirked deviously as he kissed his boyfriend again, suddenly switching places as the trickster now lay on his back in the sand and Peter sat up, smirking as he saw Loki’s surprised expression. He held on to raven’s wrists and pushed them in the sand, keeping the god in place as he leaned over him. ‘What, you didn’t see that coming?’  

‘The trickster getting tricked,’ Loki smirked, his heart beating loudly, blood rushing through his body as he felt Peter’s hands clasped around his wrists. ‘And here I was, thinking you were just the gullible neighborhood Spider-Man.’ He leaned forward as far as his pinned-down body allowed him to, pressing feverish kisses along Peter’s neck and chest.  

‘Nah, it’s a part-time job,’ Peter breathed, feeling his sanity slipping away as he greedily pressed his body against Loki’s.   

The raven moaned obscenely. He wanted to cover his mouth, to muffle the lewd noises that managed to slip past his throat, but Peter would not let him, holding on to his wrists more firmly. The trickster squirmed in delight, the sensation of cold sand against his hot body leaving him to take a shivering breath. He tried to raise his hips to move with his boyfriend’s rhythm, throwing his head back as he felt the teen’s panting breath warm against his ear.   

Peter’s eyes suddenly widened, and he froze. He let go of the trickster’s wrists and sat up straight again, scanning their surroundings. ‘Did you hear something?’    

‘…What...?’ Loki panted heavily, taken aback by the sudden stopping of the teen’s movements. ‘N-no, I did not hear a thing.’ He quickly wrapped his arms around the teen’s neck, desperately wanting to kiss him again. ‘Let’s just continue, please.’   

‘I really thought...’ Peter pricked up his ears as he now clearly heard a shout coming from the camp. ‘That’s Tony!’ He looked up in shock, ‘Maybe he’s in trouble!’    

‘He is fine,’ Loki tried to assure him, placing kisses anywhere he could as his hands worked their way over the teen’s chest, slowly moving to the brim of his swimming trunks. ‘And even if he is not, there are over fifteen super heroes back there, I am certain we can be missed.’    

‘What?! No, Lokes, come on! We’ve gotta hurry!’ Peter jumped back on his feet and started to run towards the camp.    

Loki coughed loudly, spitting out some sand that the teen had kindly shoved into his face by dashing off. ‘I swear Anthony, you better be dying, or I will make sure you are by my own hands...’ he grumbled darkly as he stood up, quickly joining Peter’s side again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhm, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts... Thank you and have a pleasant day XD


	30. Deal

 

Peter and Loki dashed blindly through the dark forest, trusting their instincts to guide them towards the camp. They panted, jumping over fallen trees, dodging low-hanging branches and keeping an eye at each other. This was serious, it had to be. For Tony to scream like that, Peter could only imagine what kind of enemy attack his team was suffering through, and all while they…

The teen shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts. He gritted his teeth, the concern that flared through his body causing him to run even faster. ‘We’re coming, Tony,’ he panted. ‘Just hang in there.’ 

The god and the teen came to an abrupt stop as they reached the forest’ edge, their eyes growing wide. Tony stood next to the captain, his red and golden gauntlet raised and blazing around him at random, Steve hiding behind his shield.   

‘What’s going on here?!’ Peter shouted, running towards the two. ‘Y-you guys aren’t in another fight, right?!’ 

‘STEVE, GET IT OFF ME!’ Tony shouted, squirming as he was anxiously searching his shirt with his free hand.   

‘Tony, it’s just-’ the captain started in a brave attempt to calm his boyfriend down, almost receiving a fist to the face.    

‘Is this the start of another war?’ Loki whispered softly to Peter, already calculating which team was more likely to win.   

‘No, unless you mean Tony’s personal war on forest life,’ Steve answered with a chuckle, hiding behind his shield yet again as he was almost scorched by his boyfriend’s gauntlet. ‘I’d advise you to stay down for a second.’   

‘I beg your pardon?’ Loki raised a confused brow.    

‘Okay, it’s gone,’ Tony sighed in relief as he let himself fall back on the wooden log, exhausted. As the confused couple stared at him, they noticed a little squirrel scattering from the scene.  

‘What… What happened?’ Peter asked as he crossed his arms.   

‘Okay, so I was just sitting here with Steve, minding my own damn business, and guess what happened?!’ as the trickster and the teen kept staring at Tony with questioning eyes, the playboy continued, ‘This _freaking_ _huge_ squirrel climbed up my leg! What am I? A tree! Do I look like Groot?!’   

‘I am Groot,’ the Flora Colossus grumbled, coming back to the campfire with the other Avengers now that the shooting had ceased.  

‘You’re right, Groot,’ Rocket snorted. ‘He does not look like a tree, but he _is_ nuts.’  

‘…Ah, I see,’ Loki nodded sarcastically. ‘That is indeed a highly valid reason to shout out in horror and shoot your entire team. Speaking of which, where is everyone, anyway?’ 

‘We’re hiding!’ Bruce’s voice sounded from behind a bush. 

‘Some of us actually want to live!’ Clint added, his voice echoing from somewhere high up a tree before everyone showed themselves and walked back to the camp.  

‘Yeah, they… they’re all around here, somewhere. Anyway, Tony did not shoot at us, it’s just-’ Steve started, but as he saw the scorched earth, trees, and the marks on his shield, he laughed. ‘Yeah, well, no one got hurt, right?’    

'Well, how fortunate. However,’ Loki continued sternly, casting the billionaire a piercing glance. ‘You just cost me a, ugh, how did you put it, Peter? A one-on-one moment with Peter!’     

‘Well, we-’ Peter said as he noticed they had gained the Avengers’ undivided attention by now, ‘Yeah, we’re just going to bed. Bye!’    

‘Those tents aren’t sound-proof you know?’ Quill quickly remarked as Peter pulled Loki into the tent, causing some of his fellow-Guardians to laugh.    

‘Hold on a second,’ Tony said as he squinted his eyes. ‘Does he mean-’    

‘Tony, I tell you, the less you think about this, the better,’ Steve said with a chuckle. ‘Just let them be.’    

‘But…’ The playboy let out a deep sigh and muttered, ‘Pff-fine.’     

‘Don’t worry, Stark,’ Quill smiled, patting the man on his back, ‘We’ll let you know if we hear any... “suspicious” sounds.’    

Tony remained silent for a moment as he stared at the Ravager. ‘Steve!’ the playboy then shouted as he turned around, facing his boyfriend. ‘We had agreed to put them in separate tents! We had a plan!’    

‘Yeah, we did, and I placed them in separate tents at first.’ Steve raised his hands in surrender though he could not help but laugh. ‘But Loki and Peter didn’t care much for it, no one really did actually. Also, they have as much right to choose their own tents as the others. If they want to sleep together, I suppose we should let them.’ Steve remained silent for a moment, regretting his poor choice of words as he saw his boyfriend’s eyes grow wide. ‘Okay, yeah, I didn’t mean “sleep together” as in-’   

‘Peter! You better get your ass out of that tent right now, young man!’ the playboy shouted, already getting up from his seat to drag the boy from his tent.   

‘Whoa, Tony, what’s going on?!’ Peter shouted as he sprinted out of the tent, wearing his PJ’s and his web shooters, which he pointed at his surroundings, prepared for battle. As the playboy just stared at him and nobody else seemed to move, Peter blinked in confusion. ‘Tony? Mr. Stark? What’s going on? Where’s the fire?’   

Before Tony could even open his mouth to respond, Drax stood up from his seat, pointing at the campfire. ‘It’s right there! Though it is more like a smoldering pile of wood than an actual fire!’ he shouted, causing everyone to look at him. ‘What?’ Drax asked. ‘He asked where the fire was.’     

‘Is he always like that?’ Clint asked Gamora, who merely gave a brief nod in reply, taking a sip of her drink like nothing had happened.    

‘Okay, we’re straying from the subject here!’ Tony said as he looked at the teen, only now noticing his outfit. ‘What... Peter, I created a high-tech suit for you and _this_ is what you decide to wear during emergencies?’    

‘Yeah,’ Peter said, blushing as he became more self-aware of his current outfit. ‘Well, sometimes emergencies catch you by surprise, you know?’    

‘Yeah, I guess...’ Tony raised a brow, but he quickly shook his head and continued on a more important matter. ‘Listen, Peter, I have a million-dollar idea! Why don’t _you_ come and sleep in the same tent as me and Steve? It will be a... a tutor-apprentice bonding opportunity. How about that?’     

‘Oh, geez, yeah, uhm… That would be great, Tony,’ Peter started hesitantly. He then turned around, meeting the bright green eyes of his boyfriend who was staring at them from a distance with a slightly tilted head. Peter could not help but smile, letting out a sigh as he felt his heart skip a beat. ‘Yeah, no, I think I’m good, thanks. Maybe some other time?’    

Tony sighed. ‘Yeah, fine, just... Can you send Loki over? I need to talk with him for a sec.’  

‘Yeah, sure thing,’ Peter nodded, though he was clearly surprised by the question. 

Tony followed Peter with his eyes as he watched the teen walk back to the trickster. Loki seemed relaxed at first, but his expression turned grim in a matter of seconds. The playboy squinted, seeing how Peter was clearly trying to explain something which caused Loki to let out a highly irritated sigh. The raven looked away in frustration before Peter cupped his cheeks in his hands, probably telling him some encouraging words before placing a kiss on his lips. Loki nodded reluctantly and walked towards Tony. ‘Peter told me you wanted to talk?’    

‘Yeah, but not here,’ Tony said with a serious expression and he gestured at a point between the trees, away from the camp.  

‘Whatever you say, Anthony,’ the trickster sighed and the two of them walked into the woods, not uttering a word.  

‘Okay, so here’s the deal,’ Tony said as he turned around, clasping his hands together in front of him. ‘I don’t trust you, not yet anyway, but I’m trying.’ He sighed and looked the trickster in the eye. ‘So, you can imagine that I’m not really thrilled with you and Pete being together, but I’m trying to respect that, for Peter’s sake, at least. Now, what I want to ask from you is one thing and that is to think this all over _really_ well before you make a move, alright? I mean, Peter’s still a kid and I...’ The playboy shook his head as he broke off his sentence and looked away from the god for a moment. ‘Can you promise me that you’ll do that?’  

The trickster stared at the billionaire for a moment and cleared his throat. ‘Anthony, I know this might be very hard for you to believe, and I know that my words mean very little to you, but I assure you that I intend Peter no harm.’   
‘Yeah, you see, here’s the part where I'm having trouble believing you,’ Tony squinted his eyes slightly. ‘You’re the god of lies, Loki. How am I supposed to trust you?’   

‘Well, I can only prove my point if you would give me the chance to do so, right?’ the trickster asked a little agitatedly.   

‘…Fair enough,’ the playboy sighed in defeat, but then he raised his eyes with a slight smirk. ‘Well, there no better time to convince me than the present, so tell me; what’s your deal?’  

‘What is my...?’ the raven asked, a confused brow raised. ‘I-’ He searched for a persuading answer, for clever words that would please Tony in his ever worrying. Eventually, however, he just sighed and decided to speak plainly. ‘I love Peter. That is my deal.’   

The playboy looked at him in surprise and stayed silent for a few seconds. ‘Now, that,’ he admitted in surprise, ‘that I believe.’  

‘Because, I care for Peter, a lot, and I-’ Loki wanted to continue, but as the words of the playboy hit him, he just stared at him for a moment. ‘Wait... You do? You believe me?’     

‘Yeah, well, I’m starting to,’ the billionaire corrected himself.  

‘I see.’ A warm and genuine smile formed on the trickster’s face, followed by a chuckle, ‘You know, Anthony, for what it is worth, I think Peter is quite lucky to have a father figure like you in his life.’   

Tony stared at the god in confusion, not really knowing how to handle the compliment. ‘What, I’m not his...’ He then chuckled and shrugged. ‘Yeah, maybe. Thanks anyway.’  

‘So...’ the trickster continued awkwardly, not really sure what to do next. ‘Uhm, do we, we do not have to hug, do we?’    

‘Nah, let’s just get back to camp,’ Tony laughed before walking back to their friends. They did not utter another word towards one another, however, the silence that now lingered between them felt more peaceful and less tense. ‘Well, Loki, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it was good talking to you, and I wish you a good night,’ he offered the god his hand.   

Much to everyone’s surprise, the god smiled back, taking Tony on his gesture. ‘Pleasant dreams, Anthony.’ The trickster then entered his tent, making as little sound as possible. He carefully laid down on his air mattress next to the teen and whispered, ‘My apologies for being late, Peter.’    

Loki raised a brow as he heard no response coming from his boyfriend. He then took a closer look, finding Peter deep asleep and buried in his sleeping bag, his breathing slow and peaceful.  

The trickster smiled warmly, brushing a lock of brown hair from the teen’s face. ‘Sweet dreams, love,’ he whispered and placed a gentle kiss on Peter’s forehead. As a smile formed on the teen’s face, Loki could not help but let out a deep and loving sigh. ‘Look what you do to me Peter,’ he chuckled softly. ‘You have made me a true fool of love.’     

‘And it looks good on you,’ Peter murmured sluggishly as he raised one eyelid.   

‘I thought you were asleep?’ the god asked sassily.    

‘It’s kind of hard to sneak up on a guy with spider senses,’ Peter smiled, turning around in his sleeping bag. ‘Good night, Lokes. I love you.’    

‘Good night, love.’  


	31. Cold War

‘Peter?’ Loki asked with a content smile as he woke up, two strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He heard a deeply satisfied murmur coming from next to him and he smiled as he placed a kiss on the head that was pressed against his chest. The trickster hummed softly, pressing their bodies closer together. This was the first time he had woken up with someone at his side, the first time he had felt a lover’s embrace as he woke up. He smiled, hearing the birds chirp their early morning song, breathing in the purest scent of nature. He opened his eyes a little further, suddenly wondered how the light in the tent was playing with his perception, for the color of the man’s hair seemed lighter than he remembered. He chuckled softly and squirmed in the man’s arms as he felt stubbles brush against his skin as the man nuzzled his neck. ‘You, love, need to shave,’ Loki chuckled, pressing a few more kisses against his temple.   

‘Oh yeah?’ Quill’s voice purred against his chest, sluggishly and drowsy.   

The trickster’s eyes finally opened, recognizing the voice immediately. ‘Quill?!’ he nearly shouted as he looked down. He then tried to turn in the man’s arms, finding the Ravager’s bed empty and Bucky still deeply asleep on his own side of the tent. ‘But… if you are sleeping in my arms, then…’ he looked up, finding Peter awake and sitting up straight, watching the two of them with a questioning expression. ‘How- how long have you been awake, Peter?’ Loki asked hesitantly.   

‘Long enough to wonder what the flying fuck is going on between the two of you,’ Peter remarked as he crossed his arms. ‘So, this is, uh, FrostLord, huh?’  

‘Honestly, Peter,’ Loki started with an annoyed murmur as he tried to wring himself from Quill’s grip. ‘This is not what it looks like.’  

‘What? _You're_ the one who’s sleeping in someone else’s arms!’ the teen hissed softly. ‘Care to explain yourself?’    

‘Let me correct your sentence,’ Loki said with squinted eyes. ‘I am the one who _woke_ in someone else’s arms and is now trying to get _out_ of them. Alright?’ He sighed and looked at Quill, who was still vast asleep and nuzzled in the nape of the raven’s neck. ‘Quill, unhand me.’   

‘Honey,’ Quill’s voice was soft and sluggish, eyes still closed. ‘Just go back to sleep, I was just getting comfortable.’ He smiled tenderly, moving his body closer against that of the trickster.   

Peter and Loki stared at each other in confusion and looked back at Quill. ‘Quill?’ Loki shivered as he felt the Ravager’s lips press against his skin, uncomfortably trying to pry the starlord’s arms from his waist. ‘You are dreaming. Now, let go, and you can continue your sleep, deal?’   

‘Or we could...’ Quill said as a sly, dreamish smile appeared on his face. 

‘We could wha-’ Loki’s eyes grew wide as he felt the hands on his back slowly moving down.   

‘For Norns’ sake, Peter, don’t just sit there,’ The raven hissed at his boyfriend. He frantically searched for the guardian’s hands under his sleeping bag, his face growing red as he found them planted firmly on his ass. ‘Just- help me! I require aid!’ 

‘Alright, that’s my cue,’ Peter said loudly, jumping to his feet as he took hold of the starlord’s sleeping bag, throwing it, together with its content, outside the tent in one swing. ‘There,’ he said smugly.  

‘...Yes,’ Loki looked outside, noticing some early-bird Avengers staring at Quill, who had fallen face-first in the dirt.   

‘W-what’s going on?!’ Quill shouted as he woke up in a daze and tried to get on his feet. ‘Where am I? What happened?’    

‘By the looks of it, you have been banished from your tent,’ Natasha replied in surprise. ‘What did you do?’   

‘Honestly, I have no idea,’ Quill replied. ‘Hey!’ he shouted towards his tent as he picked up his sleeping bag. ‘What the hell, guys?!’    

‘That’s what you get from messing with the _right_ Peter,’ the teen smiled kindly as he exited his tent, though his voice sounded irritated.  

Quill stared at Peter for a moment, his eyes growing big in sudden realization. ‘Oh, no, was I cuddling _you_?! Oh, no, no, no, Peters don’t cuddle together!’    

‘Not me, you-!’ Peter started, his friendly expression now turning into a deadly glare. ‘You were cuddling with _my_ boyfriend!’ he then hissed, pointing at Loki, who was silently watching the two from inside the tent.   

‘…Oh,’ Quill replied casually as he looked at the trickster. ‘Well, you could have just woke me up, right? Was this really necessary?’ He shrugged, stretching his arms with a big yawn.  

‘Necessary?’ Peter repeated, putting on a thinking-face. ‘Alright, Quill, let me be clear: I’m fine with this whole FrostLord-thing and you guys, I don’t know, going on space adventures together or something, but if you cuddle up to _my_ boyfriend one more time, I will make your deepest and darkest nightmare seem like an amusement park ride. Got it?’ 

Quill glared at the teen for a moment, wanting to open his mouth and continue the argument, but the two were then quickly interrupted. ‘Hey, guys,’ Steve said as he walked up to them, looking bright and frisk despite the early hour. ‘What’s going on here?’    

‘Nothing,’ Peter grumbled softly, but he then took a deep breath and smiled at the captain. ‘We just wanted to get some breakfast. That’s all.’    

‘Breakfast isn’t served until eight, Tony’s orders,’ Steve smiled as he looked over his shoulder at his tent, finding Tony’s feet sticking out slightly. ‘Anyway, I’m here to pick up Bucky over there for our morning jog, but-’  

‘Go away, Steve,’ Bucky murmured as he half-opened one eye and saw the blond’s head poking in through the entrance. He turned around in his sleeping bag, closing his eyes again.  

‘Alrighty then,’ the captain chuckled, zipping up the tent again. ‘Pete, wanna go for a run? It’s still another 40 minutes ‘till breakfast, so...’    

‘Yeah, sure, be back in a sec!’ Peter said with a beaming smile, immediately forgetting his quarrel with Quill.    

‘Peter, can I talk to you first?’ Loki asked hesitantly as the teen ran into the tent and changed his clothes. 

‘Can’t it wait?’ Peter asked absentmindedly as he threw his PJ’s in the corner of the tent, frantically searching for some clean clothes in his bag.  

‘No, it cannot. Now if you would just listen to me for a second,’ Loki tried to get the teen’s attention, uncomfortably shifting in his sleeping bag. ‘About me and Quill, you are not mad, are you? I mean, you do not have to worry about it. It is nothing, I mean-’ 

‘Yeah, fine, that’s cool,’ Peter replied quickly as he hopped into his trackpants. 

‘Peter, could you please sit down for a moment and listen?’ Loki grumbled.  

‘I just want to go running, alright? We’ll talk about it _later_ ,’ Peter sighed as he pulled his hoodie over his head. ‘Anyway, Steve’s waiting, I gotta go. Love you,’ he quickly added a peck to the raven’s cheek before dashing out of the tent. ‘Alright! Let’s do this!’ 

‘Great! Loki, Quill, care to join us?’ the captain asked enthusiastically.   

The raven left his tent and stood up, facing Steve. ‘Do I look like I am in a running mood, captain?’ he hissed. 

‘Okay, uh, Quill?’ the blond tried awkwardly, not noticing the annoyed look coming from the teen at his side.  

‘Nah, seems like the two of you got this,’ Quill laughed as he saw Peter's deadly glare. ‘I’ve got my morning routine to take care of anyway. Gotta put some effort into it to look this handsome, right?’   

‘Alright, we’ll see you at breakfast then,’ Steve answered good-heartedly, nodding at Peter to start their run.  

Quill looked aside, where the trickster was following the running pair of men with his eyes. ‘So, you don’t look too happy, Trickster. What’s up? Did the bed bugs bite? Mosquitos maybe? ‘Cause I’m telling you, those things are annoying as hell. I try to hit them every time and either I miss, _or_ they reincarnate after twelve seconds.’  

‘No, it is not that, well not _only_ that, anyway. Sometimes I really don’t understand him,’ Loki grumbled, watching Peter’s bright smile. ‘It just makes me want to-’ a mischievous grin suddenly formed on the trickster’s face and he conjured up a snowball, hovering it ominously above his fingertips.  

Quill chuckled. ‘They’re a little far off, aren’t they? There’s no way you can-’  

At that moment, the snowball flew through the air and hit Peter at the back of his head, the cold flakes running into his shirt causing the teen to shriek. He turned around, noticing how his boyfriend was smirking at him, Quill laughing at his side.   

‘Wha- What did you just throw at me?!’ Peter shouted, a shiver running down his spine.  

‘Oh, this?’ the trickster replied, conjuring up another snowball. ‘Would you like another? I would only be too glad to provide you with one.’  

‘Hey, that’s not fair! I’ve got nothing to throw back!’ Peter shouted, half hiding behind Steve for cover.  

‘That can be arranged,’ Loki smirked and took a deep breath, covering the entire camp in a thick layer of snow as he closed his eyes and concentrated. As the snow gently drifted from the skies and the temperature suddenly dropped below zero, the other Avengers got out of their tents and looked up in complete wonder.   

‘What the f-’ Tony grumbled as he poked his head out of his tent. ‘... It’s freaking July, isn’t it?’     

‘SNOWBALL FIGHT!’ Peter shouted enthusiastically, grabbing a handful of snow and shoving it in the captain’s face before the man could even grasp what was happening.    

‘Team Cap versus Team Tony!’ Scott shouted as he threw a snowball at the teen. ‘Don’t worry, Steve! I’ve got your back!’  

‘And what about those who were not involved in your petty little feud?’ Loki asked as he took a step back, making way for Clint who was trying to tackle Vision into the white powder. 

‘You can join us, Loki!’ Scott shouted, already chasing after Rhodey with five snowballs in his arms. ‘Come on, let’s kick some ass!’    

‘Sssh, language man,’ Sam corrected Scott with a chuckle as he looked over to the captain.  

Steve sighed, not able to suppress a smile. ‘Yes, Sam, let’s win this battle with some decent language.’   

‘So, you gonna join in, or?’ Bucky asked with a lazy yawn as he sat down next to Wanda, rubbing one of his eyes. ‘I tell you, I’m getting too old for this shit.’ 

‘Yeah, it’s a bit early for any of this,’ Wanda admitted, but as a stray snowball hit her and she saw the shocked expression on Starlord’s face, she quickly stood up. ‘I’ll be right back.’    

‘I’m sorry!’ Quill quickly shouted, noticing the amounts of snow Wanda managed to move with her powers. ‘I was aiming for Winter!’     

‘Then you should have aimed better,’ Wanda smirked, a storm of snowballs hitting the starlord, covering him from head to toe in white powder.   

‘Team Cap versus Team Tony,’ Bruce said slowly, looking at the chaotic battlefield. ‘I, I don’t know what that means.’ He looked up at Thor, hoping the god could explain.    

‘I have no clue, my friend, but I say we form an alliance and fight along! Revengers assemble!’ he shouted enthusiastically, searching for his younger brother who he found hiding behind a thick wall of ice together with Scott. ‘Loki! Loki, come on, join the Revengers!’  

‘No offence, brother,’ the raven stated, quickly throwing a snowball with massive speed at Tony before taking cover behind his wall again, ‘but I already made an alliance.’ He laughed, high-fiving Scott as they heard the playboy curse loudly.   

‘Well, then... Without Valkyrie and your brother, it’ll be just the two of us,’ Bruce remarked, but as a snowball hit him in the face, knocking his glasses off, he sighed and smiled in irritation. ‘But I guess we, as strongest Avengers, will be able to take them all on.’     

‘That is the spirit, my friend!’ Thor agreed, already scooping enough snow in his arms to make half a snowman. ‘Let us show them how the strongest Avenger and his almost equally strong friend fight in a Summer battle of ice!’ 


	32. Warming Up

The snow battle lasted till the brink of the evening and time flew by as all the Avengers joined in on the war, hitting each other with everything they got. From sneak assaults to full-on attacks, from cleverly planned strategies to an entire snowman to the face, each team making the most of their battle, laughing and shouting as time passed.  

When most of the Avengers had changed clothes and huddled around the fire, the Milano returned from a brief shopping trip. 

‘Okay, we got the goods,’ Quill said triumphantly as he walked into the circle, carrying some plastic bags. ‘You know how hard it is to find Mulled wine in July? People thought we were crazy!’   

‘That is because you _are_ crazy, Quill,’ Drax noted drily. ‘Those Earthlings just knew it when they saw you.’    

‘Thank, Drax, another useful comment,’ Starlord sighed. ‘Okay, so we’ve got some ready-made Mulled wine and some cocoa, who wants some?’   

The Avengers let out some pathetic sounding cheers, tired after an exhausting afternoon.    

‘Great, we can finally warm up a little,’ Tony smiled as he pressed his shivering body against Steve. ‘Loki, it’s pretty awesome that you can do all of, well, this,’ he added as he gestured at their snow-covered surroundings.     

‘Yes, well,’ Loki started with a smirk as a sassy remark struck his mind, but as he saw that Tony’s comment was genuine, he blinked in surprise and smiled. ‘Thank you, Anthony.’ The trickster looked up as a little snowflake drifted past his face and he caught it in the palm of his hand. ‘I suppose it is sort of “cool”.’    

‘Yeah, cool, but do you think you could also _stop_ this snow?’ Rhodey asked, looking at the white powder that was already at least a foot deep. ‘You know, before we all enter a second Ice Age.’    

‘I could,’ Loki mused. ‘Though I am in doubt to do so. I quite like the cold.’    

‘Oh, come on, man,’ Rhodey sighed as he pulled his blanket a little closer around his body. ‘We’re one snowstorm away from singing Jingle Bells.’    

‘I don’t know what you guys are complaining about,’ Quill laughed as he had grabbed his winter coat from his ship. ‘It’s not that cold.’  

The Avengers came flocking around the wobbly camping table on which Gamora and Mantis had placed some plastic cups, happy to warm themselves on the alcoholic beverage.  

‘Loki,’ Thor asked as he looked around a little, noticing how their friends were talking and toasting. ‘Did you see where I put the glasses of mead I just poured? I had one for each of us, but it seems I have misplaced them.’ 

‘Uh,’ the trickster started as he looked at the group, a sigh leaving his lips as he saw that it was already too late to ask everyone to stop drinking. ‘Yes, no, I am afraid those are now lost to our friends. It is interesting, however...’ a dark smirk formed on his face. ‘Midgardians drinking mead. I think we will find out soon enough who took our drinks. This just promises to be an entertaining night, brother.’  

Thor laughed and patted his younger brother on the back. ‘Indeed! I shall pour us some more!’ He walked over and claimed two plastic cups, filling them with mead and carefully handing one to the trickster.  

‘This is like Russian roulette, rather exciting, really.’ Loki took a slow sip, his eyes gleaming as he looked for any signs. ‘Now we just play the waiting game.’  

‘So, Steve and I went on our first official date, and Steve suggested to _walk_ ,’ Tony started as he stood in a small circle with Steve, Gamora, Mantis, Quill and Peter. ‘and then, after we had our amazing dinner, we also had to _walk_ home, and guess what?’

‘Oh! Uhm, your lack of technology and sense of direction got you lost. Like a little stray kitten,’ Mantis smiled, hoping she guessed right, causing the others to snort. 

‘Uh, no,’ Tony sighed. ‘It rained. And not just some drizzle, no, it was pouring cats and dogs out there!’

‘Poor creatures,’ Gamora remarked with a worried frown, Mantis nodding at her side. ‘Terra is just horrible.’

‘It, it’s not- it was just an-… you know what, never mind. Earth Is indeed a horrible place,’ The playboy chuckled and took a sip from his drink. ‘Well then,’ he frowned, his voice strained. ‘This sure tastes a lot stronger than I can remember.’    

‘Yeah, this stuff is really- uh, something,’ Peter said as he nudged the billionaire, making a big explosion gesture. ‘What was it again?’    

‘Mulled wine?’ Quill answered hesitantly, taking a sip from his drink. ‘That’s what the store owner told me, anyway.’  

‘Yeah, but-’ Peter frowned, slightly confused, ‘does no one else think that this stuff is pretty strong?’    

‘Nope, you’re just not used to anything,’ Starlord shrugged.    

‘I have to agree with the kid, though,’ Tony blinked his eyes as a shudder ran down his spine. ‘This is some crazy booze. Where did you even get it?’   

‘At a super market, where else?’ Quill looked around, wondering whether anybody else was having a hard time with the drink as well.    

Tony and Peter looked at one another and shrugged. They emptied their cups, the warm liquor now coursing through their veins as they took their last sip.     

‘You okay, Tony?’ Steve asked as he saw his boyfriend stare intensely at the fire with an empty glare. As the playboy did not respond, Steve slightly nudged him. ‘Tony?’ The captain’s eyes then widened as he saw his boyfriend take an unsteady step forward, only to fall face first in the dirt. ‘Shi- Tony! Are you okay?’     

At first, it was hard for Steve to hear what the playboy was saying, but then he understood that Tony was just giggling, which soon transformed into roaring laughter as he turned around and let himself fall on his back. ‘That!’ he laughed, coughing up some dirt. ‘That was so dumb!’    

‘Uh,’ was the only thing Steve could think of to say. ‘What- how- …Are you drunk?’    

‘Pffff, me? NAH!’ Tony waved Steve’s comment away as he continued to laugh.    

‘... Okay, let’s first get you back on your feet,’ the blond crouched down and took a hold of his boyfriend’s cup, taking a deep sniff from the few drops that were still in the cup. ‘This… It does smell a little different.’ He then grabbed Tony by his arm and tried to help him up. ‘Come on, Tony, work with me.’  

‘No, no, Steve!’ The playboy protested as the captain tried to wrap an arm around his waist. He suddenly dropped to the ground again, this time almost taking the blond with him. ‘Steve, I’m trying to tell you something here! My legs, they’re jelly! I- I mean, look at them. Here, look!’ He pointed at his legs, which moved just slightly. ‘There! Did you see that! Freaking bizarre!’    

As the captain worriedly tried to reason with the playboy, Loki just silently watched the two together with the other Avengers. ‘Poor captain, having to deal with a drunken boyfriend.’ 

‘Quite,’ Thor laughed as he saw how Steve tried to move Tony by pulling at his feet. ‘Now, it is only a matter of time to find out who-’ The god then raised a brow as he saw Peter sneaking towards the two of them behind the trickster’s back. ‘Uhm, or maybe we already found the second victim.’ 

‘What do you mean by that?’ Loki asked, his eyes widening as he suddenly felt a body leaning full-on against his back. He turned around, only barely catching Peter in his arms. ‘Yes, can I help you?’ the raven asked, a confused smile on his face.

But Peter did not reply, a dreamy smile on his face as he leaned into the trickster’s arms. 

‘What?’ Loki asked slightly uncomfortable, squinting his eyes.    

‘You look so handsome when you talk,’ Peter mused, leaning his face on his hands as the trickster had helped him to sit down.    

‘...Thank you,’ Loki said awkwardly, his sentence balancing between gratitude and suspicion.     

Peter sighed and stared at the trickster a little longer before giggling. ‘Don’t look at me like that, you’re making me blush,’ he slightly pushed against Loki’s shoulder, but instead of moving the trickster he almost knocked himself from his seat.    

‘Oh, dear Norns, you drank the mead, didn’t you?’ Loki shighed as he scooted back a little, not really knowing what to do now that his boyfriend was giggling in his lap. ‘Captain, surely you would like to deal with, well... _this.’_ He gestured at the teen, who was now humming a campfire song.  

‘Sorry, Lokes, but I'm afraid I’ve already got my hands full here,’ Steve said as he tried to lift a squirming dead weight from the ground.     

‘Alright,’ Loki replied hesitantly and as he looked at Peter, who started to giggle the moment he looked at him. ‘I’m really starting to regret our attachment, Peter,’ he mumbled. ‘Now, could you listen to me for a moment?’  

‘I could listen to you all day,’ Peter said dreamily, crawling onto the trickster’s lap even further.     

‘No, not like that, you oaf! Listen to what I am saying, focus!’ Loki took a hold of the teen’s wrist as Peter had started to play with his raven hair. ‘Are you even listening, Peter?’    

‘That’s my secret, Lokes,’ the teen whispered, leaning heavily in his arms. ‘I’m always listening.’ He laughed loudly as he placed his hands on his boyfriend’s cheeks, squishing them between his fingers.   

The trickster sighed annoyedly. He pulled his face free and looked at the teen, ‘Peter, love, I think it might be best for you to sleep this one out. So, I will bring you to your tent and-’   

‘You two are not leaving yet, are you?’ Quill interrupted the trickster.    

‘I am not going to bed yet, but I do not know any other solution for, well, _this,’_ Loki gestured at his boyfriend. ‘Do you have any suggestions?’   

Peter giggled and squirmed in the trickster’s lap, causing his boyfriend to turn a bright shade of red. When the teen looked at the Ravager, his movements froze and a sudden grim expression formed on his face. ‘Hey!’    

‘Hey me?’ Quill asked surprised.    

‘Yeah, you,’ Peter said as he tried to stand up, his boyfriend quick at his side to support him. ‘I have something to say to you.’ He poked Quill in his chest, his words slurring. ‘Shut up.’ 

Quill stared at the teen for a moment, chuckling softly. ‘Yeah, I get you now, trickster. Maybe you _should_ bring him to his tent, you know, before he hurts himself.’    

‘Hey! I see what you’re doing,’ Peter said ominously as he squinted his eyes. ‘I’m onto you, Star… Starqueen… King... Lordy lord.’  

‘Peter, what do you mean?’ Loki frowned as he looked at the two, Quill meeting his gaze with a similar lack of understanding. ‘Love, maybe it is best to just sit down and-’   

‘You heard that, right?’ Peter said, pointing at Loki as he looked at Quill. ‘ _Love_. He calls me his love. L-O-V... E.’   

‘Ah, the kid’s drunk, but he can spell!’ Quill scoffed, but as Loki cast him a confused glance Starlord sighed. ‘Look, Peter, I have no idea what your problem is, but...’ As the teen still watched him with an incredible severity, the Ravager could not help but laugh. ‘You’re funny like this, Pete, you should drink more often.’  

‘Yes, you are a great help, Quill,’ Loki murmured. ’Come on, Peter, let’s get you to your tent.’   

‘Just one more thing,’ Peter stated, his eyes locked on those of the Guardian before turning his attention to his boyfriend. He placed his hands on the god’s pale cheeks, locking his lips on those of the raven’s in a passionate and lingering kiss. ‘Do you understand now?’ the teen spoke again, looking at Quill as Loki gasped for air. ‘Mine.’   

‘Peter, what kind of sneak attack was that?!’ Loki asked with wide eyes, a bright red blush coloring his cheeks.   

‘Now he knows,’ Peter said, casting a squinting glance at Quill. ‘He knows.’   

‘Yeah, I totally understand what your boyfriend’s talking about, trickster,’ Quill said slowly though he gave the god a confused shrug as he tried to hold back his laughter. ‘Okay, point made, Peter, now you can retire to your tent in peace, right?’  

Peter blinked his squinted eyes a couple of times before answering the Guardian. ‘Nyeah, ‘kay.’  

‘Great, terrific,’ the raven managed a smile as Peter leaned even heavier on him. ‘Truly Peter, what am I to do with you.’  

‘... Love me,’ Peter smiled, dramatically wrapping his arms around Loki’s neck. ‘Love me like you would… like you would make love to yourself.’   

The trickster’s face turned bright red as Quill could not help himself but laugh loudly. ‘…Yes, well, maybe some other time,’ Loki eventually chuckled as he freed himself from the teen’s arms. ‘Come on, to bed with you.’  

As the trickster managed to drag the teen back into the safety of their tent, Steve was still dealing with his own drunken problem: a problem named Tony. The captain had managed to lift him onto his arms with a little help from Bucky.  

‘You okay now, Steve, or…?’ The soldier asked as the two managed to drag the playboy into his tent. 

‘Yeah, thanks, Buck, I’ve got this.’ The blond looked at the playboy in his arms. ‘Come on, Tony, let’s get to bed.’ 

‘No, no, no, I am FINE, Steve, don’t send me to bed,’ Tony whined as he held onto his boyfriend.  

‘Yeah, you clearly got this,’ Bucky snorted as he left the tent. ‘Good luck, man.’ 

‘Yeah, thanks,’ Steve shook his head, suddenly feeling a wet kiss pressed against his neck. ‘Tony, please, just,’ he grumbled as a shiver run down his neck, trying to free himself from his boyfriend’s clingy arms. ‘I’m trying to help you here. Now, you start undressing, I'll go get your sweatpants.’   

‘Nope,’ Tony smiled, now wrapping his arms around the blond’s waist. ‘I don’t wanna! I’m not gonna!’  

‘Tony,’ the captain sighed, his patience now running low. He took a firm hold of the man’s wrists, pulling himself loose and placed his boyfriend on the bed with a rough push. ‘There. Now stay, and undress.’   

Tony blinked in surprise, a dark smirk following, ‘Well, captain’s orders, huh?’ he giggled, slurring his words as he tried to get out of his sweater. ‘I have to say, Steve, I never took you for a dominatrix. Gotta say I love it, though.’   

‘A what?’ Steve asked in surprise, but as he looked at the playboy’s sassy expression, he grew red and walked over to the other side of the tent to find some clothes, murmuring to himself. 

‘Oh, don’t play dumb with me,’ Tony laughed. ‘You know what I mean.’ 

‘Well, let’s just say that playing dumb is my survival mechanism when it comes to you,’ Steve smiled somewhat as he gave up on being serious. ‘Anyway, here are your pants.’ He tossed his boyfriend the piece of clothing before crossing his arms.  

‘Thanks honey,’ he smiled, crawling onto his airbed the moment he had changed his clothes. ‘You’re- you are gonna stay here, right?’  

‘I was actually thinking of going back for a moment, just sitting by the fire for a while with the others,’ Steve said with a shrug, chuckling softly as he saw his boyfriend struggle with his clothes. ‘So, yeah, good night, Tony.’ 

‘Noooooo,’ Tony whined, wanting to grab the captain’s wrist, though losing his balance as he shifted on the air matrass, causing him to fall face first in his pillow.  

‘… Yeah, you’ll be fine, just stay where you are and I’ll be back before you know it,’ Steve pressed a kiss on the back of his neck and headed for the opening of the tent.  

‘Rogers?’ Tony’s voice was soft and gentle, which caused the captain to turn around.  

‘Yeah?’  

‘I really love you,’ the playboy smiled as the captain cast him a smile back, giving him a kiss before leaving the tent.  

‘So, you’re a dominatrix now, huh?’ Sam asked softly as the captain sat down next to him by the fire.   

‘Don’t even dare to mention it,’ Steve chuckled, shaking his head as he stoked up the fire a little with the stick at his side.  

‘Oh, I am going to mention this A LOT,’ his friend laughed. ‘So, was this anything like you had imagined? The team bonding and what not?’   

Steve sighed in defeat, though a smile remained on his face. ‘Let’s just say that this was not exactly what I had imagined,’ he admitted, but as he looked around and found the Avengers talking with each other, the sound of laughter filling the air, a more satisfied smile appeared on his face. ‘I do think it was nice, in its own, unique way.’ 


	33. An unexpected guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So sorry for the long wait!  
> I have some very big news to tell you all which is as exciting as it is heart-breaking. Yesterday, Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress and I have written our final chapter for this fic. We are both very proud and very sad that this fic will come to an end at chapter 37. 
> 
> Now, please enjoy this extra long chapter as I dry my tears. :)

 

**An unexpected guest**

 

‘No way!’ Tony scoffed as he and Peter walked into the Stark Tower, a pair of dark sunglasses covering his eyes. They both carried as many bags from their camping van as they could, Peter carrying just slightly more, Tony had to admit.  

‘I mean it! And I was like “No, ma’am, I’m Spider-Man, I’m here to help!” and she just hit me with her purse and ran off.’ Peter sighed, placing his bags in the hallway. ‘I think I still got the bruise on my arm somewhere. She actually hit me pretty hard.’  

‘So much for gratitude, huh?’    

‘Yeah, it’s part of the job, I guess,’ Peter nodded with a smile and stretched his back. ‘I think we got all the stuff from the vans, right?’   

‘Yup, thanks for helping me out, kid, unlike some others.’ Tony glared at the couch in the common room, eyeing some of the Avengers who were casually watching tv. ‘Anyway, maybe we should continue some lab work now that we’re back in the twenty-first century. I was working on a new prototype suit, something that can last underwater for hours. How about it?’    

‘That sounds awesome!’ Peter agreed enthusiastically. ‘Maybe you could give it a really cool navy-blue color, or you could-’ the teen then fell completely silent as his eye got caught by a pair of gracious black boots that descended the stairs. He looked up in awe, his eyes scanning a deep topaz-colored Sakaarian outfit, the brims of the fabric decorated with elegant silver stiches. He followed the delicate lime-green lines that were painted on pale hands and graciously swirled up the skin. Peter’s eyes locked with those of the god of lies, emeralds lined with green stripes which went up his temple and disappeared in his raven hairline, a silver ear piercing embracing the man’s helix.   

‘…Uh,’ Tony started as he tried to break the painful silence that lingered in the air. He stood next to his pupil, equally baffled, before continuing. ‘New outfit?’ he asked awkwardly in an attempt to start a conversation while Peter just kept staring.    

Loki’s face colored a bright shade of red as he averted his eyes from his boyfriend’s lingering gaze. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but a familiar voice interrupted him.     

‘You like it?’ the voice asked sassily from further up the stairs. 

Tony looked at Peter in surprise as he heard the teen mutterer some curses, his eyes then turning to the stairs again. ‘Okay, who said that?’ the playboy looked back and forth between Peter and Loki, his surprise growing as his pupil’s awe turned into pure shock. ‘You okay, kid?’ he asked the teen in a low voice.   

‘No, sir, _so_ not okay,’ Peter responded without taking his eyes of the stairs. ‘That is-! How could-?! Why is he-?! Okay, Mr. Stark, I really need you to fetch Thor for me, I’ll make sure they don’t leave.’    

‘What? But what’s-’   

‘JUST DO IT, OKAY?!’ Peter asked desperately.  

‘Alright, alright, I’ll get him,’ Tony raised his hands in defeat. ‘What do you want me to tell him, anyway?’ he asked Peter in confusion.   

‘Say it’s a case of “code Sakaar”,’ Peter said, rolling up his sleeves, ‘And that it’s urgent.’    

‘O-kay...’ Tony said slowly, walking towards the living room where the other Avengers should be. He stopped for a moment as he walked past the stairs, his eyes falling on the trickster and the unknown visitor who stood smirking behind the god. The playboy opened his mouth and raised a hand, wanting to ask for explanation, but eventually just shook his head and walked into the other room. 

‘Well, well!’ the Grandmaster possessively wrapped his arms around the raven’s waist, casually leaning his head on the god’s shoulder. ‘Lo-lo, you never told me you lived together with waiter-boy over here!’     

‘Peter,’ Loki started, forcing a smile on his face. ‘Surely you remember the Grandmaster, creator of Sakaar and Father of the Contest of Champions?’    

‘How could I forget?’ Peter hissed with clenched jaws, already taking a defensive position. ‘Now, why are you here?’    

‘Hmpf, nice to see you too,’ the Grandmaster sighed. ‘Loki, darling, I suggest, no, I _insist_ that you accept one of my servants and fire this kid. I mean, a little cheekiness is fun, but this,’ he gestured at Peter, ‘this is just a case of bad manners, _horrible_ manners, really.’    

‘Even though I am honored by your generous offer, I can assure you that Peter will learn his manners at some point, so there really is no need for replacement.’ The trickster turned in the man’s arms and smiled, though he found the Grandmaster’s face closer to his own than he had expected.    

‘Oh, you’ll teach him some, ey?’ a sly grin formed on the Grandmaster’s face. ‘Love it, darling. I just love that attitude on you.’  

‘Well then, shall we take our leave?’ Loki took the Grandmaster’s hand, guiding him towards the front door.   

‘Leave…?! Both of you?’ Peter asked in shock, clenching his fists, but he controlled his anger and managed a smile. ‘You wouldn’t leave us so soon, would you, sir?’  

‘Well, as much as I would love to stay and do some more sight-seeing here on Terra, I’m afraid that I have to go.’ The grandmaster smirked as he pinched the teen’s cheek slightly to hard. ‘Adult parties to attend to, you see?’    

‘…Well, we are really very sorry to see you leave, sir. Now let me get the door for you,’ Peter quickly opened the front door, gesturing the man to leave with a wave of his hand. ‘Loki and I were honored by your visit, we’ll be sure to stop by Sakaar some time. Bye!’    

‘Wow, wow, wow, hold on a minute, waiter,’ the man turned around, a highly agitated smile on his face. ‘Hot stuff here is coming with me, aren’t you, doll?’ he turned his attention towards Loki, wrapping an arm around that of the trickster and letting his fingers intertwine with those of the god.    

‘Bye now!’ Peter said loudly as he unhooked his boyfriend and shoved the Grandmaster out of Stark Tower, slamming the door behind him. As he leant against the entrance, he looked at the trickster and smiled. ‘There,’ he chuckled. ‘First I threw Quill out of our tent and now this weirdo. I say, I’m getting really good at this, don’t you think?’ 

‘Peter! What do you think you are doing?!’ the trickster asked, wanting to shove the teen form his spot and open the door again.     

‘Wha-?! I’m saving your ass, you idiot!’ Peter argued, slapping the trickster’s hands. ‘You’re not going with that creep!’   

‘I heard that,’ the Grandmaster’s annoyed voice sounded from the other side of the door.     

‘Clearly you have never heard of politics, now move!’ Loki hissed softly through clenched teeth.   

‘Say whatever you want, I’m not letting you through! You don’t actually want to go with him, do you?’ Peter asked, suddenly doubting his boyfriend’s intentions as the trickster stared at him in fury.   

‘I d-’ Loki started but as he noticed how close they were by the door, he pulled Peter towards him by his wrist and whispered. ‘You have no say in this, Peter!’   

‘I’m waiting!’ the Grandmaster sighed impatiently from the other side of the door, tapping his foot.    

‘Wait a little longer!’ Peter shouted.    

‘Sure, whatever, sheesh,’ the Grandmaster murmured, leaning against the doorpost as he crossed his arms.    

‘Just-’ the raven started, taking a deep breath to calm himself, ‘Just let me through. I will return as soon as I can.’    

‘NO! No, Lokes, I love you but politics or not, you’re not leaving with that guy!’ Peter said steadfastly. ‘Just because he is the Grandmaster does not mean he can do whatever he wants, right?’    

‘You know, Lo, I brought my melt stick, you could use it if you want to?’ the Grandmaster offered as his patience grew thin. ‘That should keep his rude mouth shut.’    

‘I told you to wait!’ Peter shouted. ‘Seriously, sir, if you think me bad-mannered right now than you haven’t seen the worst of me yet!’    

‘Thor, please don’t-’ Tony’s voice sounded from down the corridor, followed by a loud sound. ‘-slam the door,’ the playboy sighed in frustration as the wall started to crack from the impact. ‘Yeah, no, sure, because maintenance costs absolutely nothing.’   

‘Loki!’ The god’s voice boomed through the hallway.     

‘Oh dear Norns,’ the trickster sighed, his headache only increasing. ‘Peter, just- why? Why are you making things only worse?’ he asked but did not wait for an answer, wanting to move towards the door again.     

‘Because I care about y-’ Peter started, but he was interrupted by the god of thunder.    

‘Loki, I forbid you to go with this man! You know what he has done to Banner and myself. I will not have you associate with such an individual!’    

‘O my God, Sparkles?’ a highly surprised voice sounded from the other side of the door. ‘Sparkles is that you? You know you still owe me a ship, right? And a champion!’    

‘…No, n-no this is not Sparkles...’ Thor said awkwardly.   

‘WHAT?! Even _you_ are afraid of this guy?!’ Peter asked bewildered. ‘Okay, you guys stay here and I’ll teach him some manners!’    

‘No, you will not!’ Loki held onto the teen’s wrist. ‘Peter, love, I know that you are merely trying to help, but as an Asgardian Prince I cannot just refuse this envitation. Also, I cannot have the both of you running towards him like some berserk Bilgesnipes! Now please, I ask of you, please stay here and I will be back as soon as I can.’  

‘No, you’re not leaving, Lokes!’ Peter blocked the door. ‘That guy’s a creep, I really don’t trust him.’ He then looked at the god of thunder, ‘You say something!’    

‘Well, I guess-’     

‘Uh, what’s going on here?’ Bruce asked sheepishly as he walked out of the kitchen, gaining the men’s attention. He took the tuna sandwich he just made out of his mouth and stared awkwardly at the three.  

‘Nothing!’ Loki hissed, ignoring the man immediately. ‘Now listen, Peter,-’    

‘The Grandmaster is here,’ Thor explained solemnly.     

‘Oh… Oh! No,’ Bruce eyes grew wide as he remembered the man’s face. ‘You mean the guy from Sakaar, right? The one whose orgy spaceship we stole to escape?’   

‘That one, yes,’ Thor nodded, his hands clasped as some sparks became visible in his eyes. ‘And now it is time for the Revengers to get to work.’    

‘Wha-?!’ Loki uttered. ‘No! No Revengers! Did you not hear a word I just said?!’  

‘Okay, let me get this straight,’ Peter sighed. _‘We_ won’t let you leave, _you_ won’t let us punch him, and _he_ won’t leave without you. So, where do we go from here?’   

‘Well, you could just talk to him?’ Bruce offered. ‘Right?’    

‘I am afraid the Grandmaster is beyond reasoning at this moment because _someone_ had to push him out of the house.’ The raven glared at Peter.    

‘Oh, come on, he can’t be that angry! It was just a joke, wasn’t it, sir?’ Peter tried as he hopefully looked at the door.    

'I just want you guys to know I overhead _everything_ you said,’ the Grandmaster sighed. ‘Okay, so either let me in, or let’s go, Lo-lo. Terra’s Summers are really hot, sheesh, it  _is_  getting hot out here!’   

‘Okay, but if we let you in, you won’t attack us, right? Because if you don’t attack _us_ , we won’t attack _you_. Deal?’ Peter asked, clenching the handle of the door in his hand.   

‘Attack? Waiter boy, please. I just came to pick up my doll, you don’t seriously think I'm gonna ruin my good party outfit for you, right?’   

‘Yeah, about that-’ Peter started, his fury rising again, but Loki pushed him aside and opened the door.    

‘Of course not, Grandmaster,’ the trickster looked up with a courteous smile. ‘Would you please allow us to make up for this entire- _misunderstanding_ with some fine refreshments?’  

The grandmaster stared at the trickster for a moment, raising a brow, but as he saw the Loki’s smile and gleaming emeralds, he just relaxed and sighed. ‘Oh darling,’ he wrapped an arm around the god’s waist and pulling him closer. ‘How could I possibly say no to you?’   

‘Right,’ Loki nodded, slowly walking towards the dining room. ‘Bruce, could you fetch us some drinks?’    

‘Uh,’ the scientist started and looked at Thor, ‘are we- are we seriously doing this, or...?’    

‘Oh, so Specs over here is your waiter too?’ the Grandmaster asked amused, looking the scientist up and down. ‘I do say, he does look kinda familiar.’  

‘Well yes, in fact, I believe that both my _waiters_ are needed in the kitchen to prepare the refreshments, don’t you think, Peter?’ Loki spoke through clenched jaws, his eyes betraying his nervosity.   

Peter looked from the trickster to the Grandmaster and merely nodded as he pulled Bruce into the kitchen.    

‘Now, what’s all this about, hot stuff?’ the Grandmaster sighed when the two had left. ‘Don’t you want to go to Sakaar with me?’ 

The trickster shivered at the question and quickly put on a smile. ‘I would lov-’    

‘Grandmaster, I believe he does not,’ Thor interrupted as politely as he could.    

‘Okay, Sparkles, here’s the deal,’ the Grandmaster turned around, the kind smile he showed the trickster now gone. ‘I talk, you zip,’ he made a gesture with his hands for the Thunderer to keep his mouth shut. ‘Got it?’    

‘Yes, my brother was just leaving,’ Loki said, gesturing Thor to go to the kitchen as well.   

‘...Of course,’ Thor said with a fake smile, ‘The waiters are lost without my guidance. I will be right back.’    

The Grandmaster glared after the blond till he was out of sight. ‘Finally, they’re gone. You are way too popular, darling! It is quite hard to get some alone-time with you.’   

The words of the Grandmaster reminded Loki of his alone-time with Peter. How he had trailed the teen’s skin with the tip of his fingers. How his body felt hot as his feet dug into cold sand. How the sound of the crackling fire and their soft moans had filled the air, every kiss and touch sending bolts of pleasure through his body. 

Loki felt his heart beat louder in his chest, a gentle smile forming on his face as a shiver ran up his spine. He shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts as a red blush threatened to appear underneath the green lines contouring his eyes. 

‘Hello? Anybody in there?’ The man asked as he waved a hand, ‘Grandmaster for Hot Stuff, do you copy?’ 

The trickster looked up with wide eyes as he was pulled from his reverie, his heart growing more troubled as he saw the charming smile of the Grandmaster. ‘Yes, my apologies, I just-’ Loki started, but he broke off his sentence. He took a deep breath and looked the man in the eye. ‘I am afraid I have to tell you something. You deserve an explanation for the peculiar behavior of both my friends and myself.’   

‘Couldn’t agree more, so tell me!’ the Grandmaster took a seat at the dining table with a flair of his golden overcoat. He patted at the chair next to him, gesturing Loki to sit.    

‘Grandmaster,’ Loki quietly sat down. ‘Peter, the waiter-boy, and I, we... We, we are a couple. That is why he acted so strangely, and I apologize on his behalf, he tried to help me. As for my brother, he is merely trying to protect me, that oaf, but he means well, I assure you.’   

‘… Okay,’ the man shrugged, not really understanding Loki’s sudden tenseness. ‘But what happened to _you_? You used to be so talkative around me, Lo-lo, what changed?’   

‘I-’ he stammered. Even though the situation felt helpless and hopeless, the god could not help but smile as he said the following words, ‘Grandmaster, I am in love with Peter and I was rather tense to have to tell you this.’    

The other man blinked in surprise and remained silent for a while. ‘So, like, you and the waiter-boy?’    

Loki nodded.  

‘Wow, uhm, okay, plot twist,’ the Grandmaster smiled a little, though Loki remained tense. ‘Well, I guess I could work with a three-way, but I have to say, I wished you would have talked this over with me first, handsome. We can get someone a lot better than that kid.’    

‘A three-w… N-no, no!’ the trickster shook his head. ‘No, I meant a different kind of love, Grandmaster. I, Peter and I, well, I do not wish to fool you. I love him, he loves me, but that also means that, and I am sorry for telling you this, it means that I cannot stay on Sakaar, nor engage in any form of relationship with you besides platonic friendship.’    

The Grandmaster remained silent for a long while, his voice filled with suspicion as he squinted his eyes. ‘Are you playing tricks on me or are you serious?’    

The raven gulped, ‘I am afraid I am quite serious, yes.’    

The man took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second, then looked at Loki with a smile. ‘Well, if that really is how you feel... Have you ever thought about an open relationship, though?’ he tried.   

The trickster chuckled, ‘I had not contemplated a relationship at all, let alone something as complicated as what you suggest.’    

‘Hm. Well. It’s a shame.’ The Grandmaster then crossed his arms. ‘You know, they call you the trickster, but I would call you “the tease.”’   

‘Yes, it is just in my nature, I suppose,’ Loki chuckled, though then slightly tilted his head, ‘Wait… the tease?’  

‘That! That’s _exactly_ what I mean!’ the Grandmaster laughed. ‘See? You _are_ a teaser, darling, perhaps that’s what I like about you.’ He let out a sigh and smiled. ‘Now, how were you planning on making up for this mess?’     

‘... I beg your pardon?’ Loki asked, blinking his eyes.    

‘Well, like I said, you are a tease. You made me fall in love with you and only now you tell me the truth. I say I should get at least _something_ out of this besides a broken heart, am I right?’    

Loki remained silent as he tried to come up with a proper response. His concentration was disrupted however as Steve walked into the room. ‘Uh, hey? Tony asked me to check up on you guys for some reason, so... You okay?’  

‘Oh, hello,’ the Grandmaster said with a flirtatious smile. ‘Oh, Lokes, how about him?’ he looked the blond up and down and smiled as he stared into his blue eyes. ‘You ever thought of a three-w-’  

‘He’s taken!’ Tony shouted from the other room.    

‘Sheesh, alright, no need to be clingy,’ the Grandmaster sighed. ‘But, Lo-lo, a solution?’ He then looked back at the blond, gesturing him to go away with a wave of his hand. ‘Go on. Off you go. We have no use for you.’   

‘…Alright,’ the captain replied in surprise and he returned to the living room, muttering. ‘Strange was right, this guy _is_ weird…’  

‘So, a solution?’ the trickster quickly continued. ‘As in a compensation?’  

‘Yes, exactly! Something that will make sure that I look back on our time together with a smile instead of an aching heart. Besides that, it’s my birthday party that you are skipping. So keep that in mind, okay?’    

‘I see,’ the trickster nodded slowly as he tried to think of something. He then looked up at the Sakaarian, meeting his eye. ‘I... I could offer you a congratulatory gesture? In the form of a… a handshake? A friendly handshake?’ he tried, though he already knew that the man was likely to accept his offer. 

‘A handshake?’ The Grandmaster raised an unamused brow. ‘Seriously? Okay darling, clearly you still have a lot to learn because I was thinking something like… a kiss.’ 

‘A… kiss?’    

‘Yes, a kiss,’ the Grandmaster repeated as a grin spread across his face. ‘Yes, that might be just the thing. I promise I will leave right after and leave you and all your staff members alone.’ He chuckled. ‘A kiss goodbye, on my birthday, oh, you are _such_ a dramatic diva, hot stuff’    

‘Yes, well, I might have been called a diva, once or twice,’ the raven smiled tensely as he positioned himself in front of the Grandmaster, a nervous twitch pulling at his lips.  

‘Whoever said that was _so_ right,’ the Grandmaster smirked, looking from the trickster’s lips to his eyes. ‘Shall we get on with it, then?’  

Loki merely nodded only to close his eyes as he felt the Grandmaster’s lips press against his own.


	34. Code Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is time for Peter to call in some help!  
> Can you guess by the title who will come to their aid?

**Chapter 34**  

**Code Green**

 

Thor let out a deep sigh as he opened the kitchen door, only to look up in surprise as he heard Peter mumble and curse while agitatedly pacing through the kitchen.     

‘“How about some refreshments” he said, “both my waiters are needed in the kitchen” he said!’ the teen grabbed two wine glasses from the top shelve, nearly breaking the fragile material as he placed them on the kitchen counter. ‘And then there’s that, that- snake! Wrapping his arms around my boyfriend! “Lo- _darling_ ” “Lo- _doll_ ” “Lolo- _freaking_ -hot-stuff!”’ He whined in an overexaggerate

impression of the Grandmaster as he threw his hands in the air. ‘I’ll get him some hot stuff! I’ll burn him in his sleep!’  

‘Peter, maybe you should-’ Bruce started as he sat at the kitchen table, but Peter did not even seem to notice him.    

‘Oh, I’ll get him some refreshments! A little bit of wine served with a side of poison! I’m sure Natasha has some, somewhere, right?!’ He turned to Bruce but did not wait for a response. ‘I’ll just go and ask her.’    

‘My brother does have a point though, Peter,’ Thor warned the teen, ‘The Grandmaster is a powerful man. Fighting him could result in serious political consequences.’ The god of thunder then landed his fist on the counter. ‘But by Odin’s beard he shall not take my brother to Sakaar! Now, what can we do?’    

‘Powerful?! _We_ are powerful! We are the Avengers! You are a _god,_ of _thunder_! Surely, we can take him out?’ Peter tried, not understanding what all the hesitation was about.  

‘But I’m also a prince of Asgard, as is Loki, therefore we have to handle this situation with some diplomacy,’ Thor sighed, his fingers running over the stubbles on his chin as he closed his eyes in thought. ‘We need a good excuse, some force of nature, perhaps. Something that will stop him from leaving Midgard with my brother without any further consequences.’   

‘Uh,’ Bruce started, wanting to raise his finger to get their attention. ‘This might-’   

‘Not now, Banner, we are trying to conjure up a brilliant plan,’ Thor interrupted.   

‘But I just-’  

‘I have a plan, it’s called “attack!”’ Peter crossed his arms. ‘ _I’m_ not royal, I can kick his ass!’    

‘As much as I like that plan, it will not suffice, Man of Spiders,’ The blond shook his head. ‘No, you are now associated with Asgardian royalty, you cannot just “kick ass.”’  

‘Guys, can I have a word in this?’ Bruce spoke a little louder this time.   

‘What is it, Banner?’ Thor sighed.    

‘Well, instead of turning to violence, like we usually do, how about we try to talk with this man? I’m sure he can be reasoned with. I mean, he’s a politician, right?’    

‘Which means he can’t be trusted now, can he?’ Peter mumbled. ‘...However,’ he continued with a smirk, looking at Banner.    

Bruce blinked his eyes as his sheepish smile disappeared. ‘Or- or what? What is that smirk? What does that mean?’ he asked a little nervously and looked at Thor for help.    

‘I think this is a case of “code green”,’ Peter’s eyes gleamed with mischief as he looked at Thor and then back at the scientist. ‘What do you say, Bruce? Will _you_ kick his ass for us?’    

‘Code gr-?’ Bruce started but as the teen’s intensions finally dawned on him he quickly shook his head. ‘No, no, no, no, I'm not gonna do that! I-I mean, Tony’s gonna get pissed and it will just make a huge mess and-’    

‘Do not worry over him, Banner, we will take full responsibility for this,’ Thor said as he slapped the man on the back. ‘What do you say? Are you ready to save my brother?’    

‘I _do_ want to help your brother, Thor, but-’    

‘Then it is settled!’ The blond said victoriously while he and Peter looked at him with a bright smile.    

‘But maybe!’ Bruce quickly continued. ‘Maybe this problem will just resolve itself, I’m sure Loki can handle the Grandmaster.’ He then gestured at the door while looking at Peter. ‘Let’s just see how things go before rushing to any conclusions or attacks, okay? Doesn’t talking sound better than me turning into a big green Gamma monster and putting everyone in danger?’    

‘Fine, we’ll have a look,’ Peter sighed in irritation. He opened the door ever so slightly to peek into the dining room, his eyes widening in pure shock as he saw the Grandmaster hanger over his boyfriend. Loki’s hands were clasped around the chair he was sitting on, his body tense. The Grandmaster’s blue-painted fingers cupped the raven’s pale cheeks, his head slightly tilted in a deep and passionate kiss.

The teen gasped, his breath stuck in his throat as he backed away from the door.  

‘What? What is wrong, Peter?’ Thor asked worriedly as he saw the teen’s pale face.     

‘They, h-he-’ Peter stammered, pointing at the door.   

‘They what?’ Thor raised a brow and peered through the door opening, rage flaring through his body like a wildfire as he saw his brother nearly pinned underneath the Grandmaster. ‘Now he has done it!’ the Thunderer growled, sparks shooting from his fingertips. ‘Time for Code Green, Banner!’  

The scientist peeked through the door as well and sighed deeply. ‘Well,’ he started reluctantly. ‘I guess this is what they mean with “make love, not war”, huh?’ he tried with a smile as he looked at his two fellow-Avengers but as he noticed their deadly glare, his smile faded.    

‘Just- Hulk out already! Chase him away, please!’ Peter pleaded, both he and Thor barely able to keep their anger under control. ‘Because if you won’t, I will.’    

Bruce let out a deep sigh. ‘Fine, just- make sure that Nat is on standby. Also, if Tony gets angry, I'll send him straight to you and you can explain all the mess. Oh! And you two will pay for a new pair of jeans.’   

‘Consider it done, my friend!’ Thor nodded gratefully.   

The scientist nodded slowly and took a deep breath. He took off his glasses and shoes, placing them neatly at the kitchen island and started to concentrate. Green blood pumped rapidly through his veins, his eyes clenched shut before opening them in a gasp. He fell on his hands and knees as his body slowly changed color, transforming him into the gamma monster with a loud roar.   

‘Whoa, I had never seen this up close before,’ Peter said in awe, backing away a little as the towering creature got on his feet. ‘This is so cool!’  

‘Yes, it is great, now get out of the way or you will be smashed!’ Thor pushed the teen out of the kitchen and back into the dining room where Loki and the Grandmaster were still seated.    

‘You know, Thor, I just remembered something...’ Peter started reluctantly, looking back at the Hulk and then towards Loki. ‘Are Hulk and Lokes not... well, they’re not really on friendly terms, are they?’    

‘PUNY GOD!’ a loud voice boomed through the halls, followed by smashed walls as the green monster forced himself through the door opening.     

Loki immediately looked up in fear, breaking the kiss with the Grandmaster with a gasp. ‘We have to get off this planet…’ he muttered as the dust started to settle, a violent shiver running over his body as he met the creature’s eyes. ‘Yes, quite, let’s go. Now.’ He took the Grandmaster’s hand and pulled him from his chair.    

‘Isn’t that my champion?’ the Grandmaster asked surprised, but he was pulled away by the trickster before he could get a proper look.   

‘No! No, Hulk, wait!’ Thor shouted, trying to get the beast’s attention. ‘It’s not Loki we’re after! You should get the Grandmaster!’    

The green giant turned around to face the god and growled. ‘BLONDIE ALWAYS USES HULK!’     

‘This was such a bad idea...’ Peter sighed softly as he saw the Grandmaster and Loki flee the building. ‘I’ll go after them, you handle this, okay?’    

‘What?’ the god of thunder asked confused as Peter agilely ran to the front door. ‘Alright then... Hulk, we are friends, remember?’ Thor tried at last.   

‘BLONDIE FRIENDS WITH BANNER!’ the Hulk shouted, not falling for the god’s most charming smile.    

As the green giant now started to chase after the god of thunder, Peter quickly followed the trickster and the Grandmaster into the front yard.   

‘Honestly, darling, both _worst_ and _best_ reunion ever,’ the grandmaster sighed as the two stood at the door opening of the gambler’s spaceship.     

‘Yes, I agree,’ Loki chuckled nervously as he kept an eye on Stark Tower. He flinched slightly as he heard screams coming from Tony and his brother. ‘Your offer is sounding more tempting than ever, but I have to stay, for Peter.’    

‘Nyeah, okay, I get that.’ The man smiled as he thought of something. ‘How about a kiss goodbye, ey?’    

‘Lokes! You can’t leave!’ Peter shouted as he ran towards the spaceship. ‘I’m not letting you go! Not again!’    

‘I am not leaving, you buffoon!’ Loki shouted back at the teen before he turned to the Grandmaster again with a shake of his head. ‘On the cheek? That might be acceptable.’   

‘Oh, yeah, we don’t want your boy to know about our secret relationship, now, do we?’ the Grandmaster chuckled, a seductive wink following. ‘Fine, I’ll take what I can get, for the moment.’    

The trickster quickly pressed a kiss on the Grandmaster’s cheek before catching Peter in his arms, for the teen was about to jump into the spaceship and wrap his hands around the Grandmaster’s throat if he could.   

‘You get your filthy, sneaky hands off my boyfriend, you-!’ Peter started, trying to punch the man in the face. ‘Lokes, let me at him!’   

‘Uh, do you _see_ my hands anywhere near him?’ the Grandmaster asked teasingly, innocently raising his hands in the air. ‘Don’t sweat it, waiter-boy, your boyfriend is yours. For now, anyway.’    

‘You bet your Sakarian ass he is!’ Peter’s eyes then opened wide in surprise. ‘What...? You- how-’ he then looked at Loki. ‘You told him?’    

‘Yes, although he could have gathered this information from what you were shouting, you ignorant oaf,’ the trickster grumbled, though he was not able to suppress a hopeless chuckle.    

At that moment, a loud explosion came from Stark Tower, the sound of walls and glass being blown to pieces. The three turned around to look at Thor, who was running from the Hulk, the both of them being chased by the Hulk-Buster.   

‘Can someone please get Natasha?!’ Thor shouted, barely dodging one of the Hulk’s attacks. 

‘I swear to God, when I get my hands on you-!’ Tony’s enraged voice sounded from within the machine. ‘That includes you, Peter!’ he then shouted as he spotted the three men standing by the Grandmaster’s spaceship, causing the teen to gulp.  

Loki sighed and turned back to the Grandmaster. ‘My sincere apologies, but it seems like I have some urgent matters to attend to. You might as well leave or you will be late for your own birthday party, Grandmaster.’    

‘Yeah, you may be right,’ the grandmaster chuckled as some memories came back at the sight of Thor, who was roughly grabbed by his leg by a huge green hand. ‘Well, good luck, darling.’ He then looked at both Peter and Loki, a dark and sinister smirk forming on his face before turning around. ‘We’ll see each other in seventy years or so, your waiter-boy is mortal after all, so your relationship really can’t last that long, right?’ he smiled with a venomous kindness.   

‘Yes, hold onto that thought,’ Loki tried to smile, though he could not help but wrap an arm around the teen’s waist and pull him closer against his body. ‘Safe journey, Grandmaster.’  

‘See you, hot stuff, waiter,’ the Grandmaster smiled brightly as he saw Peter’s deadly glare. He started the engines of his ship and disappeared into the skyline only seconds later.


	35. May be

Loki and Peter stared into the sky, watching the Grandmaster disappear between the clouds. The trickster held on to the teen’s hand, not wanting to let go as the Grandmaster’s words still echoed in his mind. He let out a tired sigh and turned to his boyfriend, ‘Are you alright?’ he asked carefully, ignoring his brother’s and Tony’s screams in the background.    

‘Yeah, I guess,’ Peter shrugged but then let his head rest against the god’s shoulder. ‘I am going to put in my last will that I will not have you date that guy. Ever. Help me remember that, okay?’  

Loki chuckled softly, wrapping his arms more tightly around the teen. ‘I will.’ He then placed a finger underneath Peter’s chin, wanting to kiss him, but the teen quickly placed his hand over the trickster’s mouth.    

‘You kiss your boyfriend with that mouth?! I can still see some of the blue paint from the Grandmaster on your lips! It’s gross!’ Peter protested, the image of his boyfriend and the gambler hovering before his eyes.    

‘Oh, hush now, love,’ Loki laughed, freeing himself from the teen’s hand and placing a passionate kiss on his lips, leaving both bright blue and lime green paint on his face. ‘There.’     

‘Ah, gross!’ Peter shouted, desperately trying to brush the paint off with his hands. ‘You know, Lokes, it’s a good thing you have such a nice ass, ‘cause otherwise I would have-’  

‘Peter...?’ a woman’s voice sounded carefully, causing both men to look up in surprise.   

Peter froze as he looked past Loki and into the eyes of his aunt. ‘... Hey? I mean, HEY! MAY! How are you? W-what are you doing here?’ He asked as casually as possible and crossed his arms.  

‘Well, I was going to visit you today, remember?’ she asked with a smile though a slightly irritated nerve twitched in her face. ‘I only texted you about this, like, _thirty_ times over the last couple of weeks?’   

Peter let out a breath he did not even noticed he was holding, relieved to notice that his aunt apparently had not seen the awkward kiss between himself and the god of mischief. He then completely froze and turned around as he heard his fellow Avengers fighting far away in the background, the roaring Hulk sounding loudly over the chaos of gunfire and explosions. 

Loki looked at Peter, whose brows were knitted in desperation. ‘Well then,’ the raven started with as much calmness in his voice as he could muster. ‘It sounds like our… daily training has begun. I better get starting as well.’ Loki said politely and turned towards May. ‘A pleasure to meet you, Lady Parker.’ He gave her a charming smile and a short bow.  

The woman stared at the trickster’s extravagant garment for a moment, ‘Likewise.’ She replied eventually, not knowing whether to look at the raven or at the direction that the explosions were coming from.   

Loki nodded and casually walked off, his walk turning into a run the moment he was out of sight.    

‘... So,’ the woman started, hearing four men now argue with each other. ‘Is every day like this, or…?’   

‘More or less,’ Peter answered awkwardly, ‘I mean, today is particularly, uh, eventful, but never a dull moment at Stark Tower, right?’ He added a nervous chuckle. 

‘Right,’ May squinted her eyes slightly, but then wrapped her arms around her nephew with a smile. ‘Oh, Peter! It’s been too long!’ she said as she let him go, looking at him with pride. ‘Oh, look at you, you’ve grown so much! Have you been eating well? Done all your homework?’  

‘It’s vacation, May, I just graduated...’ Peter said in confusion. ‘So, I don’t have any homework, but I did everything else!’   

‘That’s my boy,’ May smiled fondly. ‘So, are Steve or Tony in? I really would like to talk with them as well and ask them what you’ve been up to.’   

‘Uhm, yeah,’ Peter said, hearing some screams coming from the Hulk Buster. ‘No, they are very busy at the moment, but look at the weather! How about we, uh, go for a walk, through the street, and you tell me, uh, what you’ve been up to the past few weeks?’    

‘Peter?’ the woman squinted her eyes behind her glasses. ‘Are you hiding something?' 

‘What?! No! wha-what makes you say that?’ Peter hurriedly replied, but then he cleared his throat and smiled. ‘No, no, I, I was just a little busy, training, and... Oh! Did I tell you we went camping last weekend?’    

‘Miss Parker!’ 

The two turned around, hearing a voice behind them. 

Tony quickly walked towards the two and straightened his clothes, his stylish sunglasses reflecting the late noon sun, his hair a complete mess. ‘Peter and I were expecting you, weren’t we Pete?’ the man smiled, casually placing his hand on the teen’s shoulder.    

‘Is that so?’ Aunt May replied with a slightly suspicious smile, which made Peter even more nervous.    

‘Yup, Steve’s already waiting for us, inside,’ the playboy continued, quickly texting the captain that May was here. ‘So, I just suggest we head inside as well.’ He turned around with a big smile, but then saw the destruction that Thor and the Hulk left behind. ‘Uh… We are renovating, so, mind your step!’ he laughed charmingly.  

‘Seems like quite the renovation,’ Aunt May said in awe as they got closer to the ruins.    

‘Yeah, well, technology is progress and this building is no exception,’ Tony smiled though he cursed mentally as he nearly tripped over some bricks.   

‘Peter just told me that you went camping,’ May said as she tried to start a casual conversation, carefully maneuvering around the desolation the Hulk had left behind.    

‘Yup, that’s right, teambuilding is an essential part of Stark Internship.’   

‘How nice,’ the woman replied with a smile as they were now finally standing in the hallway of Stark Tower. ‘How’s the internship going by the way?’   

‘Oh, he’s doing great, excellent, really he-’ Tony stopped midsentence as he looked up in surprise.    

‘Oh my God!’ May shouted as she saw the battle field that was supposed to be the dining room. ‘What happened here?!’   

‘... Like Mister Stark said,’ Peter quickly smiled, ‘the entire place is getting a make-over!’    

‘Exactly!’ Tony played along, ‘I mean, who needs a dining room, right? We can just eat in the living!’    

‘Uh, sorry, guys,’ a soft voice sounded from behind the three, causing them to turn around. ‘I would really like to uhm, to go to my room and change clothes, maybe take a shower.’ Banner said with a sheepish smile while holding up the fabric that used to be his pants. His hair was a complete mess, his body covered in dust, grass stains and some blue and purple bruises. He then looked up at the woman, only now noticing May. ‘Uhm, hi, Doctor Banner, please call me Bruce.’ He held up his pants with one hand, offering the other to May in a brave attempt to a normal introduction.   

‘Banner, you don’t need my permission to go to your room,’ Tony spoke through clenched teeth, managing a smile, while his eyes urged his friend to leave the room.   

‘Yeah, I just, needed to get past you guys,’ the scientist awkwardly moved himself around the three.     

‘Go ahead, buddy, you had one heck of a _work-out_ ,’ Tony patted his friend on the back, before turning back to May. ‘Pardon my language, it just slipped out.’    

Peter looked at the playboy with a frown, ‘But you usually-’    

‘HA!’ Tony laughed, wrapping his arm tightly around the teen’s shoulders. ‘Oh, Peter, life of the party! He’s so funny, May, I’m sure he takes after his aunt.’    

‘Well, he-’ May started with a smile though it was obvious that the playboy’s charming words had little effect on her. Her eyes then widened however she saw Steve entering the room. A color formed on her cheeks as her eyes unintentionally looked the blond up and down. ‘Captain America…’  

‘There you are!’ Steve’s characteristic kind smile was on his face as he walked over to the three. ‘May, it’s good to see you again. How are you?’    

‘I-I am doing great,’ the woman said as she gave the captain her most charming smile, causing both her nephew and Tony to frown even more. ‘I hope Peter hasn’t been much trouble lately?’  

‘Nah, no more than you would expect of a young man like him,’ Steve chuckled as he laid a hand on Peter’s shoulder. ‘No, he’s a fine kid, May, no complains. Anyway, tonight is left-over night, so I’ll just get some things from the fridge and heat them in the oven real quick. May, I hope you don’t mind? It’s just with the camping trip and all, I haven’t really had the time to prepare something more elaborated.’   

‘No, it’s fine, Steve, really,’ May smiled reassuringly before Peter or Tony could even respond, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. ‘I mean, left-over night is the best night, right? We’ll just call it tapas, sounds fancy enough.’   

'Right!’ Steve smiled brightly, ‘Tony, could you assemble the rest? I’ll make sure that dinner’s on the-’ The captain then looked at what was supposed to be the kitchen and dining room, a confused smile on his face. ‘…the couch, then, I guess.’ He smiled, not really wanting to know what had happened. ‘I just have to finish a few things and then dinner’s ready. Would you mind giving me a hand with that, May?’    

‘Not at all,’ she smiled as she took a step forward to stand closer to the blond, causing Tony to look at Peter with a questioning expression as the two walked away.  

‘...What the hell was that all about?’ the playboy murmured at the teen.    

‘What?’ Peter asked in surprise.    

‘Oh, come on, the giggling and smiling and- and-’ Tony sighed, gesturing at the two as they tried to work their way into the kitchen, his astounishment only growing as he saw Steve kindly holding the woman’s hand to help her cross all the ruble. ‘Look at that! _I’m_ the playboy in this house, not Rogers!’    

‘Relax, Tony, Steve’s just being a gentleman and May digs that,’ the teen shrugged.   

‘I can be a gentleman too,’ Tony countered. ‘In fact, I _am_ a gentleman! Look at me! I’m wearing a suit in my own home, for crying out loud. What does he have? A T-shirt and jeans. Hello?’    

‘Uh, yeah,’ Peter nodded though he could not hide his beaming smile. ‘And here I was thinking you were jealous of May liking Steve better.’   

‘What?! No way,’ Tony laughed. ‘Pete, you are young and naïve, you don’t see the world as it really is. May likes me way better, you’ll see.’    

‘I wouldn’t be so sure about that,’ Peter chuckled. ‘Anyway, I'm gonna help set the, uh, living room table. Can you call the others?’    

‘Oh, so you’re giving _me_ orders now?’ Tony blinked in confusion. He then shook his head and held his watch close to his mouth as he pressed a button, his voice suddenly resounding through the Tower: ‘Dinner, guys. Avengers assemble in the common room.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay! That's the ship name we thought of for Steve and May... STeve... mAY... STAY! XD
> 
> Anyway! Really hoped you liked this chapter and thanks again for spending your precious time on this fic ^^
> 
> Just two more chapters to go... Just two more... two...  
> *looks up with a smile and tears in eyes* Yeah, no, it's okay. I'm okay. :')


	36. Super Family

 

  

It did not take long before all the Avengers were seated in the living room, all of them awkwardly holding their plates on their lap as they murmured about the kitchen’s destruction in confusion, or just ignored it all together.   

‘Well, this is… cozy?’ May said with a chuckle as she looked around, recognizing almost all of the heroes and mentally practiced their names as she looked at them. ‘Hi, everyone.’    

‘Yeah, we are a very close team,’ Steve smiled a bit awkwardly as he sat down in the tight space on the couch next to the woman.   

‘That’s wonderful, isn’t it? Almost like a big family,’ May smiled as she stared into the blond’s eyes, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she noticed the bright blues staring back at her in wonder.   

‘I am Groot,’ the Flora Colossus at her right nodded in agreement.   

‘I am May,’ the woman replied cheerily, drawing some chuckles from the Guardians. ‘What’s wrong…? Did I say something funny?’  

‘Well, no, but you just made the same mistake as Goldilocks next to you,’ Rocket chuckled as he sat on the tree’s shoulder. ‘But yeah, no, one big happy family.’  

‘I suppose we are more alike than we thought,’ Steve’s characteristic warm and gentle smile caused Aunt May to giggle and Tony to roll his eyes.    

‘Yeah, I think you two _do_ have a lot in common,’ Peter said as he smiled at the two, only to smirk at Tony as he noticed his irritated expression.   

‘Really?’ May asked in surprise, quickly brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘What do you mean, Pete?’  

‘Well, for example, I’d think you two have pretty much the same taste in music,’ Peter smiled. ‘Plus, you two are always the ones who make sure I do my homework even though it’s Summer vacation.’   

‘Does he really?’ the woman looked at the captain, her eyes bright as she waited his response.    

‘That happened _once_ , Peter,’ the slightly embarrassed smile that formed on Steve’s face was almost too much for the woman to handle.   

‘Happens to me _all_. _the_. _time_ ,’ she chuckled. ‘I asked Peter only just now whether he had done his homework, so silly!’    

‘Sure is,’ Steve agreed as he cast her a warm smile. ‘Anyway, if it’s really true that you like the same music as I do, maybe we could grab a coffee some time and listen to some songs together?’  

‘Oh, yeah, Steve’s music is great, if you like the ye olde stuff,’ Tony said with a chuckle as he, not so pathetically obvious, tried to intervene in the couple’s conversation. 

‘Not everything has to be new and shiny to be worthwhile, Mr. Stark,’ May commented coldly, hardly looking at the billionaire. Tony stared at her in bewilderment as he had forgotten that stinging pain of a cold rejection. He opened his mouth, wanting to counter her with a smooth line, but his boyfriend spoke up again.

‘She’s got a point,’ Steve agreed, which caused Tony’s eye to twitch in irritation. God, jealousy was such an ugly color on him. ‘I mean, sometimes I listen to the radio and I just can’t relate to the music at all, you know? I’m not sayin’ everything used to be better, but...’  

‘Steve, you’re sounding like an old man,’ Bucky chuckled from the other side of the room, his 260 lbs pure-muscle-body seated on a small footrest. ‘You put old people like us to shame.’    

‘No, not at all!’ May countered, surprising the Winter Soldier. ‘No, I know exactly what you mean, Steve. You hear the music, but you don’t actually _hear_ it, you know? It doesn’t stick.’   

‘Right!’ Steve sighed in relief, a bright smile on his face. 

‘Yeah!’ May chuckled at the man’s childlike enthusiasm. ‘You know what? You could come over to my place and we could have some coffee! I still have some old records lying around somewhere, we could listen to those?’   

‘That sounds great!’ The blond smiled. ‘Ever tried forties coffee?’ The question caused the group around them to snort and laugh, but the two conversationalists did not seem to notice. ‘I can brew some by hand, it tastes really different from machine coffee.’ He then looked at Tony and laughed softly as he remembered their coffee experience, his gaze growing softer as he smiled at his boyfriend.   

‘That sounds wonderful!’ May agreed with a smile.  

‘Sorry dude, but it sounds like your boy is getting himself a date,’ Quill softly mumbled towards Tony, hardly being able to keep himself from laughing out loud. 

Tony sighed deeply and glared at the two Peter’s who were both snorting and hiding their smiles behind their hands. ‘Well, maybe we can continue on more important matters,’ The playboy said a little annoyed, interrupting the laughing couple in front of him. ‘Peter,’ he continued, looking at the teen with a smirk. ‘Now that we are on the subject of _dating_ , isn’t there anything _you_ would like to tell your Aunt?’   

Peter almost choked on his food and it took him a while to recover, noticing the whole assembly was waiting for his answer. ‘Uh, well...’ he hesitated as he cast a quick glance at his secret boyfriend, well, secret to at least one person in the room. ‘So, Ned’s got a girlfriend!’  

‘Oh, does he now?’ May smiled. ‘Well, good for him. He’s a good kid, he deserves it.’ She then fully turned her attention towards Peter, a teasing smile on her face. ‘So, how about you, Peter? When am I going to meet _your_ girlfriend?’  

‘...Girlfriend?’ the teen asked confused.  

‘Yeah, girlfriend,’ May nodded. ‘Mister Stark told me you went to prom with a very lovely young lady, and I want to hear all about her.’  

‘Did he now?’ Peter smiled as he looked at Tony with clenched teeth. ‘What else did he tell you?’ 

‘Not much,’ the woman shrugged. ‘He did send me a picture though.’ As she said this, May managed to grab her phone out of her pocket, showing the teen a picture of him and Meya rehearsing their slow dancing. ‘You two look really cute, and she’s very pretty, Pete.’  

‘A...’ Peter muttered as he stared at the picture, his eyes growing wide. 

‘You took a photograph?!’ Loki asked his host in outrage as he stood up from his seat, earning him a surprised look from his boyfriend’s aunt. ‘That... that would be a violation of their privacy,’ he continued calmly as he sat down again.  

‘It’s just a picture,’ May said soothingly though she suddenly wondered who the raven-haired stranger was as she had never seen him before. He did looked familiar though, somehow. ‘That’s all. But when do I get to meet her?’ she then continued to Peter, an enthusiastic smile on her face.  

‘I- I don’t think...’ the teen started, his eyes darting from his aunt to the trickster in panic. 

‘Peter,’ Steve started calmly, a gentle smile on his face as he noticed the teen’s panic. ‘Maybe you should... take a walk outside, with May? The weather is great, so,’ he added with an encouraging nod. 

‘Yeah… Yeah, that might be a good plan,’ Peter sighed as he cast the captain a thankful smile.  

‘Oh, but we haven’t finished eating yet,’ May said, a little taken aback.  

‘Well, I'm not really hungry anyway,’ the teen stood up from his seat. ‘So, uhm, you, you coming, or...?’  

His aunt stared at him a moment longer, eventually smiling as she took the hint. ‘Okay, you’re right. Let’s go for a walk.’  

Working their way through the rubble in the hallway, May and Peter finally made it outside, strolling through the gardens of Stark Tower. ‘It sure must be nice to live here,’ the woman noted, looking around at the lush greenery. She then turned to Peter, enthusiasm brightening her face. ‘So, tell me, your date, your prom, how was it? Did you have fun?’  

‘Yeah, it was, it was really… interesting, great, actually.’ Peter replied quickly, trying to calm down a little from the intense moment of interrogation inside. ‘Yeah, great, amazing. Meya is a great dancer and we had a lot of fun. I think Ned likes her too, in a friend-way! Not in a like-like-way. She also went to this pool party with us, some classmates had invited us over and-’ 

‘That’s amazing, Pete!’ May exclaimed happily. ‘You got invited to a pool party? Mister, what have you been up to? You haven’t told everyone you’re Spider-Man, right? ‘Cause we talked about that, people are supposed to like you for _you_ , not for-’  

‘No, no, it ain’t that,’ Peter chuckled. ‘It... Well, you remember Flash, right? So, he kinda had this crush, well, _huge_ crush on Meya, and I could come to his party, but only if I brought her, but then things got a little weird and-’ He looked at his side, the wondering eyes of his aunt leaving him to sigh and stop his rambling. ‘Okay, so, what I’m going to say to you is kind of hard to explain, so bear with me, alright?’  

‘Teens and their complicated relationships,’ May chuckled, earning herself an annoyed sigh from her nephew. ‘Okay, sorry, yeah, I’ll bear with you. Tell me.’  

‘Okay, here we go.’ Peter took a deep breath, his hands twitching nervously as he was about to try and tell his aunt that he was having a relationship with an Asgardian god. ‘So, Meya, the lovely girl you saw in the picture, is actually, uhm, a guy...’ As his aunt stopped walking and blinked in surprise, Peter just started to ramble again. ‘I mean, he’s a shapeshifter, so he turned into a girl, because I couldn’t find a date for prom and Tony wanted to help me, and then Loki didn’t, but then he did and-’  

‘ _Loki_?’ the woman interrupted him. ‘You mean, the guy from the news? Who attacked New York with those- those alien monster things?’  

‘...Yes and no,’ Peter said slowly. ‘Yes, it was him, but he’s not that guy anymore.’  

‘Stark and Steve let you go to prom with _him_?!’ She then shook her head in confusion and started to pace back and forth. ‘Wait, does that mean he lives _here_? You've been living with that, that- _criminal_ all this time?!’  

‘...You kinda just had dinner with him?’ Peter said with an awkward chuckle, though a shiver ran down his back as he saw his aunt’s expression darkening.  

‘Oh- this is just- okay, Peter, grab your bags, you are not spending another minute here!’ She turned around, wanting to march straight back into Stark Tower. ‘I need to have a word about this with your tutors _right now_!’ 

‘No, no! May, hear me out,’ the teen quickly took a few big steps forward, blocking the woman’s path. ‘You said you would bear with me, right? You promised!’  

‘But-!’ May stared at the tower before glancing at Peter again, a sigh following. ‘Okay, I’ll, I’ll listen...’  

‘Okay.’ Peter took a deep breath as he fumbled with the hem of his shirt. ‘So, Loki and I went to prom, but he looked like the girl in the picture. We did our best to make sure no one knew about this, but Ned found out and he already gave me the whole talk about what Loki used to be like.’ Peter then frowned as he came to realize something. ‘I also got lectured by Mister Stark... and Mister Barnes... and Thor...’ A pathetic sigh left his lips before he quickly continued. ‘Anyway, so really, I know. But I got to know him a little, May, and when you hear the story from _his_ side, about all the things he has been through, well, I think you’d see him in a different light as well.’  

May remained silent for a moment as she let her nephew’s words sink in, a sigh following as she crossed her arms. ‘Look, Peter, I know he must have given you a very sad sob story, but that guy’s dangerous.’ As she noticed the teen’s hurt gaze she continued more cautiously, ‘I mean, how do you know he’s not lying to you? What if-’  

‘We went to Asgard together,’ Peter interrupted her. ‘And there, o-other people confirmed his story. I even got to meet some of the people who made his life so tough for him, but I also got to know some of his friends. So, you can imagine, after all that we had been through up to that point, we were becoming pretty close friends, right? He told me a lot about his life and I, in hindsight, didn’t tell that much about myself, okay, we have to work on that, but I started to understand how he had become the guy he is now.’  

‘... So, you really trust him?’ May asked doubtfully.  

‘With my life,’ Peter nodded. ‘Really, May, I...’ his lips started to tremble as he fought back his nerves. ‘I really love him.’  

Completely taken aback by the teen’s determined words, the woman blinked her eyes before continuing cautiously. ‘You... You love... _him_?’ she asked as she tried to take in the information. ‘The god... of lies? Uhm, Thor’s little brother, right?’ 

‘Maybe we could just call him Loki?’ Peter tried with an awkward chuckle. 'Really, he is good at speaking and diplomacy and, sure, when needed even lying, but he doesn’t lie that much anymore. We talked about that.’ 

‘I- I have to say, Peter, it is a lot to take in...’ May sighed, but then quickly looked up at her nephew. ‘N-not that you love a guy, I don’t mind that, at all! It's just... I wasn’t really expecting _that_ guy, to be honest... but if you say he can be trusted...’ 

‘I know, I know!’ Peter said hurriedly, but then he tilted his head. ‘You... You’re kind-of cool with all this?’  

‘Well, no, not really, not yet, anyway, but... I only know Loki through the news and, if all the Avengers thought it was a good idea to let him live here, then, well, surely there must be _something_ good about him, right?’ she suggested, though it sounded more like she tried to convince herself than to pose a question.  

‘Perhaps you should judge that for yourself,’ a voice said and as the two turned around they saw the trickster looking at them. ‘Rest assured, I was not eavesdropping, I merely... I was just wondering if all was right,’ the prince explained with a nervous smile.  

May gulped, tensing up at first as the trickster had clearly startled her. ‘Uhm, yeah, hey,’ she started awkwardly, shifting on her feet as she could not help but take a protective stand in front of her little.  

‘Please, Lady Parker,’ Loki tried calmly, his voice still soothing though slightly imbalanced. ‘I understand if you are in doubt and question my intentions and I will not pretend like I could lift these with sheer words. My actions, perhaps, have spoken for me yet again, but I will not let them define me any longer. So, please, anything you want to know, any time you need to think this over, I leave it all in your hands, for I know you will judge fairly what is best for Peter.’  

May gazed at the Asgardian in surprise, her sharp eyes noticing how the trickster tried to stand confident and calm but still nervously twitched a finger. ‘Uh, well, thank you? Yes, thank you. I, you see, Peter just told me what is going on and I’m trying to process things, but I appreciate your openness.’ As the three looked at each other in turns, May just simply sighed and shrugged as she smiled. ‘So, what do your parents do?’ she tried awkwardly.  

‘M-my parents?’ the trickster looked up in surprise, his eyes darting between his boyfriend and the woman. ‘W-well, my mother was a very skilled Seiðr-bearer. She was kind and clever, and, of course, she was the Queen of Asgard, the Allmother of the Nine Realms. My father, he is the king.’  

‘Lovely,’ May said with a slightly confused smile, not understanding half the words the raven just said. ‘My parents had a farm once, in Omaha. They moved to Brooklyn before I was born, though, so I never saw much of it, but, yeah...’  

‘I see,’ the raven nodded a bit nervously as he had no idea what to do with this information. ‘That sounds lovely.’  

‘Okay, uhm, Pete, perhaps it is a good idea if you go get your things anyway.’ May clasped her hands as she turned to her nephew in a bright voice to clear the awkward air. ‘Empire State U is expecting you to check out your dorm room tomorrow so you better hurry.’ 

‘Yeah, you’re right, I just-’ Peter’s eyes then grew wide, his shoulders tensing as his aunts words got through to him. ‘Wait?! That’s tomorrow?!’

‘Yes?’ May replied with a frown. ‘Why else do you think I’m here? I came to pick you up.’ 

‘…Shit... I, I still have to get my stuff, I have to say goodbye to everyone, and I have to clean up my room!’  

‘Take your time, Pete,’ May chuckled as she rested her hands on the young man’s shoulders. She then looked up at Loki, noticing the glimpse of confusion that shone in his bright green eyes. ‘You... you okay?’ May asked gently as she took a step closer to the trickster. 

‘... Yes,’ Loki nodded slowly, though he still looked puzzled. ‘Peter, what is Empire State? Why would you... why would you have to say goodbye to everyone?’  

‘It’s- it’s the university where I’m going to study,’ Peter started hesitantly. ‘It’s in New York, so I’ll be visiting! But since I’ll be living on campus and following classes most of the day, I’m afraid that I might not have time to be an Avenger anymore...’  

Loki blinked in complete disbelief, his heart racing in his chest. He stared at the ground beneath his feet for a moment, a heavy frown on his face as he thought this through. He then took a quick deep breath and conjured a calm and collected smile on his face. ‘I see,’ he nodded, trying his best to hide the sudden heavy feeling in his stomach. ‘Well then, I wish you all the best of luck. I am quite certain that most of the others will enjoy the peace and tranquility that will fall upon us again when you are gone.’ The raven spoke in his characteristic sassy tone, the indifference in his voice making the remark sound colder than he had intended.  

May sighed and cast the trickster a smile. ‘Peter’s right: you are good with words. But don’t think that they can fool me,’ she warned him, causing the raven to look up in alarm. 

‘I was not-’ Loki started but got interrupted as the woman took a step forward. She wrapped her arms around the trickster’s shoulders, her shorter body leaving her head to rest just upon his chest. The sudden contact left him speechless, the motherly warmth of her embrace and the sweet smell of her parfum caused him to freeze completely, the sudden image of his beloved mother flashing before his eyes. 

 ‘It’s alright,’ May said warmly as she let go of him again, noticing that the trickster was nearly forgetting to breath. ‘I’ll give you two some time alone,’ 

Loki blinked his eyes, his gaze locked on the ground beneath his feet as the woman walked away. He took a deep breath, trying to relax his muscles. ‘Well then...’ His voice was soft. He cleared his throat and spoke up, ‘Let’s get your bags packed, shall we?’ he cast Peter a quick smile.  

‘Lokes,’ Peter gently caught hold of the trickster’s arm and he took his hands in his own. ‘I’m... I’m sorry I didn’t tell you... Really, I forgot. I was so caught up with everything that happened this Summer, I-’  

‘It is quite alright,’ the raven nodded, though he was not able to keep himself from asking the teen another question. ‘So... How long will you be gone? Will you come back here once you finished your studies?’  

Peter chuckled painfully and shrugged, his heart shattering at the small and cautious voice of his boyfriend. ‘It will take me a few years to complete college. After that, yeah, I might come back here, or get a job and a place of my own, become a part-time Avenger. I don’t know. I just, there’s no telling what will happen, you know?’  

‘I, I do not, really,’ Loki looked away from the teen and took a deep breath. ‘However... I trust you. So, if you say that things will work out then... Then I’ll believe you.’ 

‘You do?’ Peter asked, his voice growing softer. 

Loki nodded, ‘Yes, though I am not saying that I am happy with this... nor with the fact that you did not tell me sooner.’ He managed a sincere smile, ruffling the teen’s brown curls before folding his arms. ‘What am I to do with you?’ 

‘Okay, I had that coming,’ Peter laughed as he combed his hair with his hands.  

‘Oh, you have a lot more coming,’ the trickster smirked. ‘Do not think for a second that you will be safe from me in your new abode.’  

Peter laughed, ‘Yeah, no, I’ll live in dread and pure terror for the rest of my university days. That will set me up with a nice reputation, won’t it?’  

‘One that would fit you quite nicely,’ the raven chuckled. He then wrapped his arms around the teen’s waist, pulling him against his chest as he whispered, ‘You better promise to come and visit...’  

Peter in turn wrapped his arms around the trickster’s shoulders, giving him a kiss. ‘Try to keep me away.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter  
> ...  
> I literally have tears in my eyes  
> ...  
> Someone send help XD


	37. Final Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, my fellow Midgardians, here it is. The final chapter...
> 
> I truly hope you will enjoy it. :)

‘Here we are!’ Aunt May said excitedly as she stopped the car. ‘You want me to help you with your bags? They look kinda heavy.’  

Peter looked out of his window to the tall buildings on the campus, towering into the morning sky. ‘Uh, I think I’m good, May, thanks,’ he said genuinely as he stepped out of the car and started to collect his luggage.  

‘Okay, but remember to text me, and make sure you do your homework, also, don’t forget to do your laundry, and-’  

‘I will, I will,’ Peter interrupted her, a sigh escaping through his smile.  

‘Oh! Look at you!’ May cried out as she got out of the car and hugged him. ‘My little nephew, going to college!’  

‘Yeah, uhm, thanks for the ride, May, really,’ the teen said as he tried hold on to his bags, his gaze shifting towards a group of third-years who were giggling as they passed by.  

‘You’re welcome, Pete,’ his aunt replied lovingly and she pressed a long kiss on his cheek.  

‘May! Come on!’ He laughed as she would not let go of him. ‘I have a reputation now, or not yet, I’m working on it. I have to think about my image!’  

‘Okay, okay,’ May sighed, letting go of her nephew. She gave him a last wave goodbye before stepping into her car, only to drive away as Peter disappeared through the large front gate of the university. Just when he thought he was on his own, he heard a car honking behind him and saw his aunt waving excitedly before she drove off.  

‘Let’s see...’ the teen mumbled to himself as he took the key to his room out of his pocket. ‘117A...’ he sighed as he walked around the campus again, only to find his room at the far end of one of the corridors. He stopped in front of a light oaken door, his heart pumping loudly in his chest as he held out his key, wondering whether his roommate would already be in.  

He took a deep breath, deciding to knock on the door just to be sure. As he heard no response, he walked in. He looked at the two empty beds, one on each side of the room, both accompanied by a small drawer and a simple desk. ‘It’s... nice?’ Peter asked aloud as he placed his bags on one of the beds. ‘Yeah, this, this is great. It’ll work, I’m sure.’ He sighed, and turned towards one of the closets, staring into the mirror that was attached to the door. He tried to adjust a lock of his hair which kept falling into his face and wondered if he should wait for his new roommate or go explore the campus.  

‘Your hair is flawless, love.’ 

Peter nearly jumped out of his skin, wondering who could sneak up on him without making his spider-senses ring in alarm. He turned around, his eyes widening as he stared into bright emeralds which were hidden in the shadowy corner of his room. ‘Lokes...?’ 

‘Surprise~,’ the trickster smirked. ‘Missed me?’

Peter blinked his eyes, wondering how the god managed to get to the campus. Loki did not have his driver’s license and neither did he own a car, so unless he was joyriding, there was no way the raven could have made it here on his own. Someone could have brought him, but then he would not be standing here alone. 

Peter finally smiled as he started to understand how it was possible for him to see his boyfriend standing in front of him. ‘Missed you? After our emotional goodbye yesterday?’ The teen tried to shrug indifferently. ‘Meh, a little,’ he chuckled. ‘So, what do you think?’ 

'This is rather... different. I-in a good way, I suppose.’ Loki gazed around the small room. ‘Is this where you will be residing the coming years?’ he asked hesitantly.  

‘Yup.’ The teen nodded as he dropped onto his bed, making the springs creak heavily in protest.

‘It is, sufficient, yes, that is the word I was looking for,’ the raven concluded, nodding as he crossed the room in five steps.  

The teen stared after the god for a moment, his head slightly tilted. ‘Your Seiðr’s really good, you know?’  

‘I know,’ the god remarked confidently, though he turned around with a surprised look on his face. ‘And what makes you say that, might I ask?’  

‘It’s just, when you walk around, it actually sounds and looks like you’re here,’ Peter scoffed as he crossed his legs upon the bed, his back pressed against the wall. ‘Though of course you’re n-’  

The trickster did not grand the teen any chance to finish his sentence. He leaned over and kissed his boyfriend’s lips, his hands resting on his cheeks. ‘I am here,’ he whispered.  

‘B-but... how?’ was the only thing Peter managed to stutter.  

‘Well, being as skilled as I am, I managed to master the art of teleportation.’ The trickster was not able to keep his cool composure for long and laughed as he stared at the teen’s confused face. ‘No, love, I actually took all the effort of using Midgard’s public transportation system.’ As Peter still stared at him with wide eyes Loki sighed. ‘The bus, Peter. I took the bus.’   

‘No way! Seriously?!’ The teen laughed and shook his head. ‘His royal highness, Prince of Asgard, on a bus?’ He chuckled and pulled the raven against his chest. He wrapped his arms around the trickster’s slim waist, butterflies fluttering wildly in his stomach as a beaming smile formed on his face. ‘I’m so proud of you,’ he nuzzled his hair, pressing kissing into the raven locks which were scented with exotic oils. 

‘Glad to hear you appreciate it.’ Loki’s lips curled into a smile at the teen’s contagious laughter. He sat up straight again and looked the teen in the eye before pressing his lips against those of Peter, the fervent kiss leaving the teen breathless. 

Peter moves his hands through the trickster’s hair, coiling lose locks around his fingers. He closed his eyes, wanting to breathe in his boyfriend’s scent but his spider-senses forced his eyes wide open again and he peered at the door. 

At that moment, they heard a key turning in the lock and they both looked up in silent bewilderment, Loki quickly moving from the teen’s lap and onto the bed. The door opened, revealing a pile of bags, held up, so it seemed, by a random set of arms and legs. Peter jumped up from the bed and stared at the alien creature.  

‘Uh, hey,’ Peter started as he stood up. ‘You, uhm, you need a hand there?’   

‘PARKER?!’ a voice cried out and the pile of bags were dropped to the floor, revealing the young man behind. 

‘FLASH?!’ Peter asked with a similar air of shock.  

‘You’ve gotta be kidding me!’ the teen carelessly dropped his whatever bags he had left in his arms on his bed, a smirk on his face. 

‘I wished I was,’ Peter sighed. ‘But, you know what? It’s cool, this isn’t high school, you know, it’s a fresh start.’   

‘Once a loser…’ Flash sighed, but Peter interrupted him. 

‘Come on, dude, I’m tired of that. Just... We have to live here, okay? For a while probably, so let’s at least give it a try.’ 

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ Flash grinned. ‘I will-’ he then looked past Peter, only now noticing the trickster’s deadly glare as he was still seated on the bed. ‘Who’s that guy?’  

‘Uh...’ Peter froze as he tried to think of an explanation. 

‘I’m a friend from the Stark Internship,’ Loki quickly cut in with a sympathetic fake smile. ‘The name’s Odinson, Lars Odinson.’  

‘Okay... Weird name.’ Flash shrugged. ‘Does Stark have a thing for oversee internees?’ A frown became visible on the teen’s face as he asked this and he looked closer at the trickster’s eyes.  

‘Well, _I_ am from Queens,’ Peter commented shortly, but Flash did not even seem to hear him.   

‘Uh, this might sound a bit weird, but do you have a sister?’ the teen asked as he looked the trickster up and down.  

A dark smirk formed on the trickster’s face, causing Peter’s heart to pump loudly in his chest. He knew that smile and he knew those mischievous eyes that matched so perfectly. This could not end well. ‘As a matter of fact, I do.’ The raven tilted his head slightly back, haughtily looking down on Flash. ‘Why do you ask?’  

‘Well, you kinda remind me of this friend of Peter’s, uh, Meya? We met at prom and she was kinda cool, you know. I thought I saw some resemblance between the two of you, but probably not.’  

Peter looked with wide eyes at his boyfriend and quickly intervened as he saw the god’s sharp eyes gleam. ‘No! Nope, they’re unrelated. That would just be too weird, right?’ He let out a nervous laugh.   

‘Yeah, true that,’ Flash chuckled and he sighed. ‘Parker, maybe we could go to the information desk and ask if one of us can switch rooms? It's not that I have anything against you or something, but, yeah, I have to think about my reputation, you know?’  

‘... Yeah,’ Peter smiled through clenched teeth. ‘You’re right, we should switch.’  

‘Cool, let’s go,’ Flash said relieved, but as he walked towards the door and Peter made no attempt of moving, he looked at the two guys. ‘So? You coming or what?’  

Peter looked at his boyfriend, a sigh following as he saw the god’s highly amused smirk. ‘Yeah, coming.’ He nudged Loki in his ribs before following Flash down the corridor and towards the registration desk.  

‘Young sir, there is nothing I can do for you,’ an old man explained to another student as he pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. ‘I can’t switch rooms around just like that, you know?’   

‘But sir, he ransacked my backpack and shut me out of the room!’ the young man tried desperately. ‘I don’t want-’  

‘Sorry, you’ll just have to live with it. Now move, you’re holding up the line,’ the grumpy man gestured him to move with a wave of his hand, his eyes hidden behind a dark pair of sunglasses, his moustache merely showing a moody mouth. 

Peter frowned heavily as he looked at the man. The sunglasses, the mustache, even his voice left him to believe he had seen the man before, sometime. But as he could not for the life of him remember where, he just turned his attention towards the young man who had a defeated look on his face. ‘You’re looking for a different room?’ 

‘Yeah,’ the student sighed, now turning towards Flash and Peter. ‘My roommate and I aren’t exactly a match. I was reading Harry Potter and he literally picked me up and shoved me into a closet, proclaiming that I was now his house elf.’ 

‘Well, I could give you a sock, if that helps?’ Peter chuckled, happy to see a smile forming on the teen’s face. 

‘That prank actually sounds hilarious.’ Flash laughed as he looked at the two. ‘Could have been mine.’  

The three then looked up at the grumpy man sitting behind the counter, who sighed deeply. ‘Alright, fine, fine. Exchange keys, get your things and move to the other room. But I’m warning you, I cannot change this in the system until the end of this week, so until then your name is Flash Thompson and you are Harry Osborn, at least until Friday.’  

‘Works fine for me,’ Harry smiled. ‘Everything’s better than staying with that cave troll.’  

‘I won’t die of a dorkish name,’ Flash agreed with a shrug. ‘I’ll just go get my stuff, be right back. It was nice seeing you, Losers.’ He turned on his heel, marching back to get his bags as he could not wait to meet his new roommate. 

‘Yeah,’ Harry mumbled. ‘Thanks?’  

‘Just ignore him, worked out fine for me,’ Peter chuckled.  

‘I can see that,’ Harry sniggered. ‘That’s why you were asking for a different room, right?’  

‘Yeah, we just... we don’t really have a lot in common, let’s just keep it at that.’   

‘Say no more,’ the student nodded in understanding. ‘I’ll go get my things, be right back.’  

Peter waited for his new roommate to return and they walked back to their room together. ‘Okay, so, in my first year of high school, Flash actually stole my clothes during P.E., so I had to walk around in my sweaty sports shorts all day... I still don’t know where he hid them, though.’  

Harry shook his head as he laughed. ‘A true mystery, Pete, we will never know.’ He waited patiently for his new roommate to open the door and followed him inside. ‘Okay, if you think that’s bad, then hear this, when I was-’ he suddenly broke of his sentence and looked at a pale, raven-haired man, who was sitting on the desk chair, quietly reading one of Peter’s books on advanced quantum physics.  

‘Uh... there’s... three of us?’ Harry asked surprised.  

‘Yeah, no, this is, uhm, Lars, he’s a friend of mine,’ Peter cleared his throat, only now gaining the god’s attention.   

‘I see your trade was a success,’ the raven spoke calmly as he looked at the two. ‘I say it is already an improvement over that Flash.’  

‘Thanks,’ Harry smiled. ‘Nice to meet you, Lars. I’m Harry.’  

‘You can call me Loki,’ a smirk formed on the god’s face as he saw his boyfriend’s shocked expression. ‘it is a sobriquet.’ Loki quietly closed the book as an awkward and uncomfortable silence filled the room. He got on his feet, straightened his black jeans and smiled. ‘Well, it was very nice to meet you, Harry, but I should be going. Peter, will I be seeing you later?’  

‘Wait up, I’ll walk you to the bus stop,’ Peter said quickly. ‘I’ll be right back, Harry.’  

The two left the student to his own devices and strolled slowly over the campus.   

‘Thanks for coming to visit me, Lokes,’ Peter said softly, his hands buried in his pockets as they approached the bus stop.  

Loki looked up with a smile and nodded briefly. ‘Yes, well, I do not know how often I will be able to visit, since Fury actually scheduled some missions for me.’ 

‘Wait, does that mean-’  

‘You are dating an official Avenger,’ Loki smirked, striking a casual yet heroic pose. ‘Quite so.’  

The teen laughed loudly. ‘I’m just so starstruck. I think I'm gonna faint.’  

‘Do not worry, I will save you, random citizen,’ Loki cried as he caught the young man in his arms. ‘Do you feel safe now?’  

‘Never felt so safe in my life,’ the teen laughed, wrapping his arms around the trickster’s waist. ‘Really though, we should celebrate some time, this is really amazing, Lokes. Congratulations!’ 

‘Thank you. Yes, we should,’ Loki agreed enthusiastically, but as he saw that they had reached the bus stop, his smile faded somewhat. ‘You will be visiting from time to time, right?’  

‘Why?’ the teen smirked. ‘You gonna miss me?’   

‘No, but Anthony and Steven just might,’ Loki retorted with a wide smirk.  

‘Oh, come on,’ Peter poked the raven between his ribs, causing the god to flinch. ‘You’ll miss me. Admit it.’  

‘If you keep poking like that, you are going to start your year of college without that finger,’ Loki muttered sinisterly, which caused the teen to stop. ‘I will miss you, Peter,’ the trickster added softly, a slight smile on his face as he averted his eyes to the ground.  

‘Yeah, I’m gonna miss you too.’ The teen then held on to the raven’s hand, letting their fingers intertwine. ‘I promise I’ll visit as often as I can.’  

‘Likewise,’ Loki replied, pressing the hand softly before letting it go as the bus was approaching. ‘Well, this is goodbye, I suppose. But we’ll-’  

Peter suddenly wrapped his arms around the raven’s neck. ‘Don’t say it like that, Lokes.’ He managed to chuckle. ‘Such a drama queen.’  

‘Of course,’ the raven chuckled, ‘I talk too much.’ He leant forward, placing a soft kiss on his boyfriend’s mouth. 

 

 

 

 

 ~FIN~ 

 

Written by 

 

MissBoaBoa 

 

and 

 

Madame_Edna_Capeless_Authoress 

 

 

 

Based on the MCU from the Marvel comics and movies 

 

In dedication to all those heroes out there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, Madame Edna here! 
> 
> First of all, congratulations to making it to this chapter! Like holy smokes so many things happened in the story! Thank you all so much for your support! You were A-MA-ZING!!! Although I have not responded to your comments as often as I would've liked, I can tell you I read them all and they really warmed my heart and/or put a smile on my face, in short: they were so appreciated! Without you awesome people I don't think this fic would have become what it is now, a freaking fanfic trilogy of epic proportions! XD Seriously, your support and questions and speculations about what would happen next were so amazing, thank you again so much!!! I wish you all the best and I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as we loved writing it! 
> 
> With love,  
> Madame Edna
> 
>  
> 
> Hi, this is Missboaboa,
> 
> Like Madame Edna already said, I would like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I completely agree with each word written by my co-writer so I won’t repeat it, I just want to say, again, thank you. For this amazing journey. 
> 
> As you can already imagine, this after story opens the doors to a whole lot of other adventures and possibilities to write about! Will Loki also go to college to be with Peter? Will he be a student or a teacher? Will we be seeing Meya again? Well, for now, we have decided to stop writing for this fic, FOR NOW, anyway…
> 
> It pains me to see this story end, but it also brings a very bright and warm smile to my face. 😊 
> 
> I will keep on writing Marvel fanfics, so, who knows, maybe I will see you again in some other story.
> 
> As for now, I would like to thank you all and wish you all the very best!
> 
>  
> 
> Missboaboa and Madame Edna log out


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